STAFFORD 2nd XV vs STONE 1st XV. 3rd October 2015.

Stafford 45 – 0 Stone

Stafford development team welcomed Stone to the county ground for the league game of October. With both teams having played well in their opening league games, the fixture promised a good afternoon of rugby.

The Stafford forwards asserted their early dominance in the encounter and opening clashes saw a Stone side propelled into an effective defence. The Stafford pack got their reward through bruising play, Gaz Phillips at the bottom of a forwards thrust taking the first try of the afternoon. Stafford maintained their strangle hold on the game, the game being marshalled by the wiley combination of Will Richards and Tim Woolman, as the forwards responded by keeping the ball deep in Stone territory. Another devastating drive piled through the Stone defence, in a stroke of innovation Dean Ainger caught the ball between his knees before dropping over the line for the second try, Sam Bedworth taking the conversion. Stone responded with their brightest period of the afternoon, but the Stafford defence was solid and repelled the attack. Ronnie Hindle was the next to put points on the board, two defenders beneath the post weren’t equal to a marauding prop, Sam Bedworth taking the conversion. Stafford went into half time leading 19 – 0, but having dictated most of the game.

Stafford continued the momentum at the start of the second half, slick hands stretching the defence and Sam Bedworth crashing across for the try and bonus point. A yellow card reduced the visitors to fourteen and a subsequent penalty was quickly taken by George Morrison releasing a supporting Rhys Williams for the fifth try of the afternoon, Chris Newell adding the conversion. A second Sam Bedworth try added to the tally and Chris Newell kept the scoreboard rising with the conversion. As the visitors tired, Stafford started to find more space and weary legs couldn’t catch Tom Riley as he flew down the wing for the last try of the match, the final points coming from the boot of Chris Newell with the conversion.