HANDSWORTH 1ST XV vs STAFFORD 1ST XV. 9TH SEPTEMBER 2017. LEAGUE MATCH.

Handsworth 22 – 32 Stafford

Stafford travelled to the Charles Lewis Memorial Ground for the opening game of the new season. The hosts, Handsworth, boasted a top four finish last season and the away encounter in a new league promised to be a stiff test for the County Town team.

The game started with early pressure from a surging Handsworth earning a penalty kick to give the home side the first points of the afternoon. Stafford responded instantly, battering their way up the field to release Dean Fuggle for the first try of the game, converted by Louis Dewsbury. The home side resumed the assault and a succession of penalties saw the visitors having to defend on their own try line. Stafford patiently absorbed the punishing attacks and an intercepted pass released Matt Price to tear off down the pitch and only a tenacious Handsworth chase bought down the flying wing. Stafford secured the line out with a catch and drive which tore through the defence for Tom Williams to score an unconverted try, stretching the lead. Handsworth hit back late in the half, with a converted try to narrow the lead. Stafford went into half time leading by 10 – 12, but having to counter a ferocious Handsworth performance.

A converted Handsworth try opened the early part of the second half, securing the hosts the lead. Stafford roared back into the game maintaining an exhausting assault which could have retaken but was thwarted by a solid Handsworth defence. The period ended with Angus Lennon crashing across the line but deemed to be held up. In a role reversal of the first half Handsworth burst out of the extended period of defence to smash their way up the pitch and score an unconverted try. With the home side controlling a period where they gained nineteen uncontested points the visitors had to dig deep. The Stafford response was immediate, smuggling the ball up the pitch to earn a scrum within sight of the line. The Stafford forwards built a solid platform for a charging Will Turner to peel off the side and over the defence for a try, Louis Dewsbury adding the conversion, narrowing the deficit to three points. The visitors continued to ramp up the tempo finding gaps in a previously impenetrable defence. A Tom Williams run ripped open the field with a pass to rumbling second row Neil Jones who used all his footballing skills to guide the ball across the line for the try, the lead and the bonus point, Callum Jones adding the conversion. With the visitors in control of the game two Louis Dewsbury penalties put the game beyond a strong Handsworth performance.