STAFFORD 1st XV vs OLD YARDLEIANS 1st XV. 17th SEPTEMBER 2016. LEAGUE

Old Yardleians 24 – 22 Stafford

The first away game of the season saw Stafford travelling to Shirley for a clash with Old Yardleians. The reciprocal game last season saw a 9 – 10 victory for the county town team in what was a bruising encounter. The Stafford XV started with a healthy mixture of youth and experience to counter a more seasoned looking home side.

The opening part of the game was in the Stafford half as Yardleians piled on the early pressure. Relief came through an Angus Lennon interception which saw the forward showing all of his pace, but the referee’s whistle called play back before the try line could be threatened. The home side squandered the chance to take the lead through a missed penalty, but the visitors soon repaid the favour through a missed penalty of their own. With both teams making minor mistakes but battling hard across the pitch, something was going to have to give to produce some points. A yellow card to Stafford temporarily reduced the team to fourteen but the defence remained strong and Yardleians couldn’t find a weakness. An injury to a player further reduced the away team to thirteen, as the physio administered treatment on the pitch Yardleians took full advantage of the disruption to take the first try of the game and the lead. With all players patched up and a team of fifteen back on the field, Stafford started to exert some strong pressure. Carl Williams led the charge with a brutal foray which softened up the defence. With the ball being shipped along the line an elusive run by Quade Boal ripped open Yardleians and the ball popped up for Will Hamplett to cross the line for a try which was converted by Rich Martin to tie the game. Stafford went into half time drawing 7 – 7 in a very evenly matched game, which still had a lot of rugby left in it.

It was Stafford that started the second half the strongest, an early scrum secured the ball and a Rich Martin kick into a well spotted gap allowed Stu Lewis to charge through and bully the defenders off the ball for the first try of the second half, the conversion flying just wide. The home side struck back through their heavy set of forwards, who rumbled up the pitch and across the line to tie the scores with an unconverted try. Stafford regrouped and after a few probing attacks, started to stretch Yardleians across the pitch. The visitors came close with a couple of thrusts but it was left to the Stafford forwards to snarl & scrap their way across the line. The referee studied the pile of bodies on the line and raised his hand for the try, Tom Windibank the last to rise with the ball in his hand, the conversion falling just short. Yardleians struck back with two tries to earn the try bonus point and grab a slender seven point lead. With five minutes left on the clock Stafford unleashed some superb attacking play which laid siege to the Yardleians try line. A savage period saw several players, on both sides, shaking off the effects of collisions. It was Stafford who eventually found a way through, Josh Arnold crossing the line to secure the try bonus point. With one of the most difficult conversions of the day, the ball came agonisingly close to the upright, but snatched away at the last moment and the referees whistle signalled the end of the game.