CANNOCK 1ST XV vs STAFFORD 1ST XV. 24TH FEBRUARY 2018. LEAGUE MATCH.

Cannock 23 – 23 Stafford

Stafford travelled to Cannock for the re-arranged league fixture from December. The teams had been thwarted by snow on two occasions and a waterlogged pitch on another. With Cannock sitting sixth in the league and Stafford in third it promised to be a competitive afternoon of rugby.

Cannock started the game strongly using their heavy forwards to eat up the territory to threaten the visitors try line. A couple of missed tackles by Stafford lead to Cannock crashing across the line for a try and an early lead. The Stafford response was immediate, high tempo rugby ran the ball up the pitch to lay siege to the Cannock line. The home side defended strongly but couldn’t stop an Angus Lennon charge from taking the equalising try, converted by Stelian-Christian Ureche. With the visitors not giving the home side room to breathe a Stafford penalty was slotted through the posts by Stelian-Christian Ureche to extend the lead. Cannock worked hard to blunt the Stafford attack but the pace was relentless, Will Hamplett the next to cross the line and extend a growing lead. Cannock responded by building momentum through simple rugby, two tries snatched back the lead and the home side were back in charge. Stafford had the last word of the half when a devastating run from Callum Jones, started at the half way line muscling and stepping past the majority of the Cannock team to cross the line for a try. Stafford went into half time narrowly leading 17 – 20 in a very tight encounter.

The early part of the second half saw Stafford disrupted with an injury to Dean Fuggle forcing a shuffling of positions. Stafford swarmed up the pitch for Will Hamplett to come within touching distance of the line, but a Cannock response tied the scores through a home side penalty. Stafford snatched back the lead through a penalty of their own before being reduced to fourteen courtesy of a yellow card. Cannock took full advantage of the extra man to tie the scores through a penalty. Stafford smashed their back up the pitch and a Callum Hoy charge brushed off the defence but couldn’t find the final yards to cross the line. A defending Cannock were reduced to fourteen through their own yellow card and it was the home side under pressure. An Oscar Saunders run scythed through the opposition and Ollie Greensill crossed the line for a try, only for the referees whistle to signal a forward pass. Both teams continued to compete strongly but couldn’t find any further points in a close game.