SPARTANS 1ST XV vs STAFFORD 1ST XV. 23RD SEPTEMBER 2023. LEAGUE.

Stafford played their third away game of the season against the mighty Spartans of Coppice Lane. The teams last met in the 2018/19 season with the county town side travelling to take a strong win and keeping themselves just out of relegation. Both sides were having a difficult start to the season with Spartans losing the opening three games and Stafford faring slightly better with two losses and a win. The Blackberry Lane XV included the first team debut of Ben Adams and Gurman Seehra, former colts and home-grown talent.

The sound of the referees opening whistle had just died when Stafford got the first penalty of the afternoon, the boot of Alex Rock taking the lead for the visitors. Spartans responded with some hard-hitting rugby as they rolled the ball up the field. The visiting XV dug in on their own line and a couple of turn overs should have relieved the pressure. Minor mistakes put the ball back into home side hands and Spartans eventually got their reward through a try. The teams resumed the fray and a series of crunching collisions couldn’t wrestle any advantage for either team. It took the poaching hands of Alex Rock to steal the ball from a ruck and unleash the Stafford backs. Sam Langley made the hard yards tearing into a splintered defence before Jerry Qasenivalu ghosted through for the try, converted by Alex Rock. In response Spartans showcased their own poaching ability when an intercepted pass snatched the momentum and the resulting try retook the lead. Stafford had to dig in and endure a torturous period of minor mistakes which gifted territory to the opposition. However, despite the pressure they put themselves under, the visiting defence remained strong and limited Spartans to only a single penalty. With the clock ticking down the County Town team found the energy to launch a final attack. Ramping up the tempo left Spartans wrong footed and as the ball rippled across the park, Angus Hamplett stepped through for a try, converted by Alex Rock. Stafford went into half time trailing 17-15 against a Spartans XV who were fighting hard for the win.

Stafford threw themselves into the second half with renewed momentum. Stu Lewis shredded the defence, Angus Hamplett crashed through some remaining bodies before off loading to Will Hamplett for the opening try of the half. With the wind in their sails the visitors were making ground all across the pitch and the Stafford engine was starting to purr. Tom Berry burst through but a scrambling Spartans managed to bring him down just short of the line. The hosts pounced on a couple of subsequent mistakes to turn the tide of the game. Now with all the possession, and assisted by the referee’s whistle, Spartans steered themselves to within striking distance. Some fierce defence absorbed the worst of the assault before a yellow card reduced Stafford to a temporary fourteen on the pitch. The visitors forcibly hurled back a number of strong forays before Spartans eventually found a way through to regain the lead. With just over ten minutes left on the clock, Stafford were restored to a full complement on the pitch. The visiting XV dug deep to tap into remaining energy reserves and set about trying to claw back a four-point deficit. The forwards and backs starting combining in a devastating fashion to leave defenders strewn across the pitch. With the field slightly open Alex Rock took full advantage to step past any final opposition for the bonus point try, which he then converted. Enthusiasm boiled over in the background and the referee produced a yellow card for each side to play the final minutes with reduced numbers. With exhaustion washing across the players there was still time for one last play. Crashing through the middle of the field the experience of Dave Austen found the room for a lung busting sprint. Running over the final defender steady hands released the ball to Gurman Seehra who took his debut 1st XV try, converted by Alex Rock. The game then dwindled to an enthusiastic close in which Spartans were unlucky to come away with no points.

Next 1st XV Match; Saturday 30h September 2023, Home vs Harborne.