STAFFORD 2nd XV vs STOKE 2nd XV. 12th February 2016.

Stafford 48 – 5 Stoke

Stafford development team welcomed Stoke to the County Ground for a friendly match as a warm up for the England six nations clash against Wales. Stoke travelled very light with only fourteen mainly young players and not enough weight to make an effective front row. With both teams wanting an afternoon of rugby, Stafford leant the visitors a few new team mates and agreed to play the game with uncontested scrums and with the usual forty minute half reduced to thirty.

The youth and on loan players of a plucky Stoke side were always going to find it difficult against the settled senior squad being fielded by Stafford. The first half saw tries by Rhys Williams and a marauding Tom Windibank who crossed the line on numerous occasions with Cal Jones and Matty Walklate managing to supplement the score with a few conversions. Although Stafford had the majority of the play, Stoke looked dangerous with the ball in hand and the home side were forced to defend on more than one occasion. Stafford went into half time leading 33 – 0 against a Stoke team who hadn’t stopped competing.

Stafford rotated the on loan players and the wright pies shirts were swapped between competitive team mates. Tries from Dave Freeman, Dean Ainger and Shaun Bickley added to the Stafford tally. However Stoke started to find some success as their younger legs kept going against their more senior opposition. Playing for his temporarily adopted potteries team, Tom Windibank pounced on Stafford inattentiveness to fly up the pitch and take a consolation score for the visitors. The game ended with a 48 -5 victory for Stafford with the rugby being played with an excellent spirit by both sides.