STAFFORD 1ST XV vs BARTON UNDER NEEDWOOD 1ST XV. 10TH MARCH 2018. LEAGUE MATCH.

Stafford 87 – 0 Barton under Needwood

Stafford welcomed Barton under Needwood to a damp County Ground for the return league fixture of the season. The visitors were experiencing a tortuous season, rooted to the foot of the table and finding life difficult in the league.

The weather conditions made playing slippery for both sides and an early injury lead to Barton having to make immediate use of their bench, disrupting the visitors team. An early Stafford attack shredded the defence and a ball juggling Louis Dewsbury crossed the line for the first try of the afternoon. A second soon followed when a marauding Tom Williams toe bunted the ball across the line and a supporting Callum Jones dropped on the ball for the score, Stelian-Christian Ureche adding the conversion. The momentum was with the home side, the partnership of Tom Windibank and Dean Fuggle combining together with devastating effect, taking a try apiece to extend the lead and secure the bonus point, Stelian-Christian Ureche adding both conversions. Barton had their best period of the afternoon rolling up the pitch through a succession of penalties but the momentum was halted when a second injury led to the visitors having to reshuffle their forwards. Barton defended strongly but couldn’t stop Callum Hoy from running in from the half way line for the next try, converted by Stelian-Christian Ureche. The half closed with a dominant Stafford surge which saw Callum Jones and Tom Windibank both grabbing their second tries of the game, Stelian-Christian Ureche snatching one of the conversions. Stafford went into half time leading 45 – 0 with the visitors struggling to find a response.

A Stafford forwards rampage opened the second half led by Tom Williams and Toran Spelman which ended with Tom Windibank adding two more tries, Stelian-Christian Ureche adding the conversions. As Barton tried to respond Stelian-Christian Ureche demonstrated his footballing skills to punt the ball forward and fierce running outstripped the opposition to add a try of his own, converted by Callum Jones. A Stafford yellow temporarily reduced the home side to fourteen on the pitch, but despite some attritional rugby, Barton couldn’t breach a solid defence. As the visitors tired, Callum Jones scored his second try of the afternoon, with Louis Dewsbury and Stelian-Christian Ureche both taking their second to end a comprehensive afternoon of rugby.