STAFFORD 2ND XV vs. BURNTWOOD XV. Friendly. 28th September 2013.

Stafford 18 – Burntwood 17

Stafford played host to a strong Burntwood side this weekend. Both teams have recently been on a winning run and neither wanting it to come to an end.

The sides were evenly matched and the early minutes proved this would be a close game. Stafford did start the brighter, keeping the ball in hand and working up the field but the Burntwood defence held strong and forced mistakes. However Pete Ship found a way through the visitors defence, to break the deadlock after cutting inside his man and score the first try of the game. Burntwood hit back and it was Staffords turn to defend a kick deep into the home side half, some miss communication allowed the ball to pop up for the approaching Burntwood backs to go between the posts and level the scores. After the restart the forwards continued to press the Burntwood line, competing in the scrum and lineout making hard meters up field. As Stafford took another lineout just inside the visitors 22 metre area, the home side secured the ball and released Gaz Phillip who crashed through to drive for the line, snatching back the lead. The Stafford line re- grouped and continued the positive rugby, the presence of Burntwood numbers in the ruck, allowed for gaps to open up out wide. Timmy Woolman gave a skilful dummy pass to his opposite number and a turn of pace to stretch for the third Stafford try. Burntwood once more came back at Stafford. They forced error s and created chances that Stafford should have dealt with. Then just before the half time whistle they finally converted their second of the game to make it 15 – 12 at the interval.

The second half proved much more of the first but with very few chances, both sides came close but never managed to complete sets of play. After a penalty decision Stafford were temporally reduced to 14. Burntwood took advantage, using the extra man and hounded the Stafford try line. Despite all the hard work the extra man finally proved its worth and space was found out wide to put the visitors into a narrow lead. Stafford were now behind for the first time in the game. The chances weren’t being taken and they seemed to be making hard work for themselves. Stafford eventually got the opportunity to pull ahead from a penalty kick. Timmy Woolman stepped up and despite the difficult angle produced the perfect strike to slot home the points and wrench back the lead. As the teams returned to 15 aside rugby, Stafford began to produce the better play and hung on to secure the third victory of the season.