STAFFORD 1ST XV vs HARBORNE 1ST XV. 30TH SEPTEMBER 2023. LEAGUE.

Stafford played their second home game of the season against a travelling Harborne. The teams last met in the 2017/18 season with Stafford taking the home and away wins. In a difficult start to the fixtures the County Town team were steering themselves towards mid table this season. In contrast, Harborne were having to survive on loosing bonus points as they sought out the first win of the campaign.

With déjà vu from the previous week, 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. Harborne could have equalised with a penalty of their own, but it was a long-range attempt which dropped just short. Roared on by the Blackberry Lane support, the County Town team threw the ball around the pitch. With slick passing, Stu Lewis and Angus Hamplett tore through the defenders before Matt Walklate put the cherry on top with a try. The visitors weren’t just here to make up the numbers. Some ferocious rugby earned them a well deserved try and subsequent penalty sailed in between the uprights to take the lead. However, an immediate response from Stafford soon wrestled the lead back when an Alex Rock penalty added to the home side tally. The momentum was all with the Blackberry Lane XV. The play gradually rolled down the pitch until Stu Lewis tore open a gaping hole. A supporting Nathan Caucau thundered through to collect the ball and take the try, converted by Alex Rock. A Harborne penalty bought the scores closer together before the referee’s whistle signalled the end of the period. Stafford went into half time leading 18 – 13 but having to be wary of a Harborne side who were playing some good rugby.

The teams crashed into each other to open the second half, but an exhausting five minutes saw honours even as no one could grab the advantage. A Harborne handling error led to the ball loosing bobbling around the pitch. Angus Hamplett raced through and some excellent footballing skills hacked the ball through a couple of times, for him to touch it down for a try. A Harborne penalty kept the visiting scoreboard ticking over and bought the scores back to within seven points. The Stafford scrum was starting to find some success and the visiting XV had to fight hard to maintain territory. With the Birmingham team under the cosh a Carl Williams charge created chaos from the set piece. The ball rippled across the pitch and Ben Adams set off on a scorching run which was only halted by the final defender. Stafford poured through and Alistair Weedon muscled his way across for the bonus point try. Harborne battled their way back into the match and Stafford had to put in a long defensive set to keep them out. The County Town team looked to have absorbed the worst of the pressure when the Harborne backs pressed the button. Some mesmerising handling saw the ball flying through the line and culminating in a superb try. With the scores again back to within seven, Harborne launched themselves into the final minutes with vigour. The hosts were forced slowly backwards and ended up defending on their own line. The visitors threw everything that they had into the attack, but Stafford just managed to hold out. An eventual mistake from the visitors incurred a shrill blast from the referee, followed by a signal to end the match.

Next 1st XV League Match; Saturday 14h October 2023, Away vs Kidderminster.