UTTOXETER 1ST XV vs STAFFORD 1ST XV. 31ST MARCH 2018. LEAGUE MATCH.

Uttoxeter 15 – 41 Stafford

Stafford travelled to Uttoxeter for a re-arranged fixture due to snow interrupting the league earlier in the month. With Telford automatically being awarded five points due to a conceded fixture for the second week in a row, it put the pressure back on a travelling Stafford in the promotion battle. The Easter cheer was very evident as Stafford bought a large proportion of the club with them to noisily support on the side-lines.

The opening phases of the match saw both sides wrestling for an advantage and being penalised for their over exuberance with the referee awarding a kickable penalty to each side. Uttoxeter couldn’t find the accuracy as their penalty flew wide of the posts but a composed Christian Stelian calmly slotted Stafford’s opportunity for the first points of the afternoon. The home side responded with a converted try to assume a narrow lead. The referee was kept very busy as the teams continued to throw themselves into the encounter and eventually a double yellow card led to both side being temporarily reduced to fourteen players when the official eventually lost patience. Stafford settled the quickest and the forwards found the continuity to smash their way to within sight of the Uttoxeter line. A second forwards rumble ran over the home side defence and the mercurial Ben Pryce emerged from the bottom of the pile to claim the try converted by Christian Stelian. The visitors maintained the punishing assault, Dan Smith carrying the ball deep into Uttoxeter territory before it went through the hands to Tom Windibank for Stafford’s second try of the afternoon. With both sides back up to a full complement on the pitch the game became more balanced and a Uttoxeter penalty cut the deficit back to five points. Stafford hard work and pressure smuggled the ball back up the pitch to earn a line out deep in the Uttoxeter half. With the ball secured a drive punctured the defence and Tom Windibank was on hand to take his second try of the afternoon. Stafford went into half time ahead 10 – 20 but needing a fourth try to secure the bonus point and keep pace with the top two in the league.

The second half opened with two successive Uttoxeter penalties which could have eaten into the visitors lead, but the home side were still lacking a measure of kicking accuracy and both missed their mark. Stafford responded with a period of brutal rugby that saw the forwards bludgeoning their way up the pitch and then driving over the line for the indomitable Ben Pryce to grab his second try of the afternoon, converted by Christian Stelian. An unconverted Uttoxeter try temporarily reduced the deficit before the Stafford XV combined lethally to scythe through the opposition and the crowd erupted when the redoubtable Ben Pryce crossed the line for his hattrick converted by Christian Stelian. Uttoxeter launched an attack of their own, but a solid Stafford defence dislodged the ball and Callum Hoy raced up the pitch to score under the posts, converted by Christian Stelian. The teams continued to fight up until the final whistle but neither could gain any further significant advantage.