WOLVERHAMPTON 1st XV vs STAFFORD 1st XV. 7th NOVEMBER 2015.

Wolverhampton 39 – 15 Stafford

Stafford made the shortest of their league away trips to the South of the county for a match against Wolverhampton. The Castlecroft team were sitting at the top of the table, having had an excellent start to the season in a demanding league. The rain and the swirling wind didn’t inspire confidence for what was always going to be a difficult game.

A buoyant Wolverhampton opened the scoring within the first five minutes of the game, an early try showing why the home side were top of the table. A tenacious Stafford response saw them fighting their way back into the game and they could have put points on the board through a penalty, but the swirling wind denied the kick. The home side put themselves under pressure when they were temporarily reduced to fourteen men, a yellow card the result of a succession of penalties. Stafford took immediate advantage with a Dean Ainger penalty which drew the scores back together and gave the visitors the reward for a bright period of play. The first half then slipped away from Stafford as a clinical Wolverhampton pounced on every mistake to run in four tries and open up a sizeable lead. Stafford went into half time 29 – 3 down but with the score not reflecting all of the positive rugby which they had played.

A half time team talk seemed to rejuvenate a frustrated Stafford and simple rugby took them deep into the Wolverhampton half early on. The home side defence stood solid and they repelled several attacks, but Stafford continued to hurl themselves forward. As Wolverhampton tried to clear their lines a devastating break by Quade Boal ripped open the defence and a marauding Tom Hamplett flew across the line for a well-earned try. The home side responded with another try, but they couldn’t shake off the dogged Stafford XV as the visitors remained camped in the home side half. Wolverhampton were again reduced to 14 courtesy of their second yellow card of the game for repeated infringements. This was all the incentive that the roaring Stafford forwards needed to hunt out the second try, a series of bruising plays culminating in Carl Williams reaching across the line for the score, Dean Ainger taking the conversion. Wolverhampton scored the final try of the game as tired Stafford legs couldn’t respond to the last attack.