STAFFORD 1ST XV vs CANNOCK 1ST XV. 7TH APRIL 2018. LEAGUE MATCH.

Stafford 29 – 3 Cannock

Stafford welcomed Cannock to the county ground for the penultimate home game of the season. The teams were also due to meet in the semi-final of the intermediate cup so to ease the commitment congestion it was agreed to make the afternoons match a league and cup double header with the result counting for each. With the first and second place teams playing against each other in Shropshire a Stafford win would be vital to their promotion prospects.

Stafford came hurtling into the game exploiting the space after securing the kick off, Callum Jones running through several tackles to be bought down within metres of the line. The Cannock defence was solid and despite the home side keeping the visitors pinned in their own half for long periods, they couldn’t convert the territory into points. An injury to Angus Lennon saw the Stafford pressure disrupted and Cannock started to claw their way up the pitch. A yellow card further disrupted the home side and Stafford had to fight hard on their own line to keep the visitors out. An energetic counter attack drove Stafford deep down the field and Dan Smith broke through the remaining defence to release Oscar Saunders for the only try of the half. With Stafford back up to 15 on the pitch both sides continued to wrestle for an advantage until the referee’s whistle signalled the end of the first half. Stafford went into half time with a slender lead of 5 – 0 but having had the majority of the territory.

Stafford secured their own kick off at the beginning of the second half and three successive penalties put the visitors under immediate pressure. Cannock defended their line brutally but despite repelling a series of attacks they couldn’t prevent Will Hamplett from crossing under the posts for the second try of the afternoon converted by Christian Stelian. A Cannock penalty put points on the board for the visitors but the home side continued to raise the tempo. A Stafford attack tore through a scrambling Cannock defence but the visitors managed to stop the assault close to their own try line. The visitors tried to respond but an Oscar Saunders run found the space to elude all of the defenders and a final pass allowed Christian Stelian to grab the third try and then further add the conversion. Stafford were in full ascendancy and Cannock couldn’t contain Oscar Saunders as he stepped around and through the opposition for the fourth try of the afternoon securing the bonus point. Cannock wouldn’t lie down a good series of phases concluded with a meandering kick ahead bobbling across the line and the chasing players thought they had scored a consolation try but a Stafford hand found its way to the ball first. The final minutes of the game looked to be expiring when a mighty Callum Jones tackle dislodged the ball causing it to go loose and a chasing Will Hamplett raced down the pitch for the final try of the game.