STAFFORD 1st XV vs SHREWSBURY 1st XV. 1ST OCTOBER 2016. LEAGUE

Stafford 32 – 0 Shrewsbury

Stafford welcomed Shrewsbury to the county ground for the second home league game of the season. The two teams faced off with an equal record in the league with one win and a loss. With the October weather pouring out of the skies, a slippery ground promised a difficult arena for the game.

The referees whistle signalled the start of the game and unleashed a Stafford assault which forced the visitors into an early defence. A line out and smashing drive saw Mike Davies cross the line for a try on his return to first team rugby, Rich Martin adding the conversion and Stafford taking an early lead. The game settled into a war of attrition as the pressure, from the home side, kept the visitors rooted in their own half. The forwards started to rampage causing chaos amongst a strong defence and with a stalking set of backs who exploited any weakness, Shrewsbury had to endure a difficult first twenty minutes of the game. A Rich Martin penalty stretched the lead and with a rare foray into the Stafford half a Shrewsbury penalty could have put points on the board, but fell just short of the posts. An injury saw a slight change to the Stafford line up when Rich Martin limped off the pitch. Shrewsbury took advantage by pushing into the Stafford half for the second time in the game. With a promising line out the visitors started to build some momentum, but the wily hands of Dean Ainger intercepted the ball and a haring run with a spiralling pitch kick drove the visitors back into a deep defence. A subsequent period of play saw the referee side-lining Dean Ainger for a head injury assessment and the home team were forced to re-organise the line-up. Stafford ramped up the pressure and the forwards smashed their way over the line for Mike Davies to score his second try of the afternoon, Josh Arnold adding the conversion. Stafford came close to scoring a third through Gaz O’Connor, but a last ditch Shrewsbury tackle halted the marauding prop and closed the half. Stafford went into half time leading 17 – 0 and comfortably in control of the game.

Shrewsbury started the second half playing their best rugby of the game and early pressure saw them camped in the opposition half. The dominant Stafford scrum continued to wreak havoc and securing the ball a well-placed kick cleared the lines and undid all of the visitor’s hard work. With the momentum back with Stafford, the home side bullied their way up the pitch to force a line out. In clinical fashion a series of pick and drives ripped open the beleaguered defence for Russ Gauden to take his first try of the season. The Stafford tempo was relentless and the next try came from a drive off the line out on the opposite side of the pitch, Angus Lennon the next to score, securing the bonus point. A sublime period of play saw Stafford combining with running and slick passing to stretch a weary Shrewsbury XV. With bodies, from both sides, strewn across the pitch, secure Stafford passing proved too much for the visitors and with numbers in the line Eneriko Apimeleki crossed for the final try of the game. The visitors finished the game strongly and came close to scoring, but a heroic last ditch tackle by Pete White saw the Stafford player sustaining an injury but stopping the visitors in their tracks. The referees whistle signalled the end of a very physical and wet afternoon of rugby.