Aldridge start the new year well

This friendly fixture versus Burntwood produced a highly competitive and surprisingly free flowing contest considering the soft pitch and gathering gloom. Both packs slugged it out throughout trying to gain some ascendancy but the contest up front remained equal such that, by the end, neither try line had been threatened by forward pressure. Because of this impasse both sides widened their game. The Aldridge mid field had more of a cutting edge which created problems for the visitors such that the home side were two scores ahead by the interval, both great solo efforts originating from deep positions . At seven minutes fullback Alex Yates came steaming into the line and out-sprinted the cover defence to touch down mid-way out and ten minutes later, a chip over the top and a fortuitous bounce gave No10 Adam Reed a clear run to the line through a flatfooted defence. Yates converted both.
The visitors were finding it hard to penetrate a solid Aldridge defence but a Tom O'Brien penalty just after the re-start gave them cause for some optimism but this was soon sunk mid-way through by a solo effort from Aldridge No8 Chris Balmforth, who bursting off the back of a scrummage, ran blind and held off tackles to make the 30 metres to the try line. A late flourish by the visitors produced a try from winger Ben Tranter, converted by No10 Tom O'Brien, which reduced the deficit, but Aldridge held on comfortably to claim the result.