STAFFORD A XV vs LONGTON 2ND XV. 27TH APRIL 2024. STAFFORDSHIRE CENTENARY RESERVE TEAM PLATE FINAL.

Stafford hosted the final of the centenary reserve team plate on an overcast and dull last Saturday of April. The plate competition was an opportunity for all Staffordshire club’s reserve teams to compete for bragging rights and a trophy. In the spirit of equity, both teams carried a good mixture of youth and experience onto the field. Stafford were led out by birthday captain Ben Pryce to raucous encouragement from the home supporters. The intermittent showers cleared up for the start of the match, but left a slightly greasy ball for the sides to play with.

Longton opened the game with some bullish play which caught a settling home side on the back foot. The initial assault was eventually snuffed out and the visitors were subsequently propelled back down the pitch as they leaked soft penalties. With the try line in sight, the County Town side ramped up their attention and Longton had to mount a stout defence. But the North Staffordshire side couldn’t cope with a powerful Connor McCulloch charge for the first try of the afternoon, which he then converted. Stafford had their tails in the air and the exuberance was bouncing all around Blackberry Lane. The visitors had to dig in and endure what was being thrown at them. With wave after wave crashing down on the beleaguered defenders the gaps were slowly cranked open. Josh Bayley needed no further invitation as he crashed across for Staffords second try. Things got more difficult for the North Staffs side when a yellow card reduced them to a temporary fourteen for a ten-minute period. Rob Jones took the next score, weaving his way through the bodies to cross the line, converted by Connor McCulloch. Longton dug deep and started to put together a response which held the game around the half way line. However, an audacious step and charge by Angus Lennon tore up all of the hard work. Cooper Purvis collected the ball and smashed his way over for a scintillating try, converted by Connor McCulloch. The momentum was relentless, but the visitors continued to work hard and had some brighter moments. A Connor McCulloch penalty added to the home side tally before Longton closed the period with their best play of the afternoon. A sluggish Stafford response suddenly left the club house end wide open and only a last-minute tackle from Phil Dewick kept the visitors out. Longton weren’t to be denied and some effective rugby soon earned a closing try. Stafford went into half time with a commanding 29 – 7 lead, but having to contend with a Longton side who were starting to work their way into the match.

Stafford didn’t secure possession from the restart and a slightly manic period saw the bounce of the ball eluding fingers and Longton had a second try on the board. A Connor McCulloch penalty helped to re-establish part of the home side lead, but it proved to be a temporary respite. With what looked like the fresher legs, Longton threw the ball around the pitch. The mobile carries were starting to make deep inroads into the defence and a scrambling Stafford couldn’t stem the loss of territory. The try wasn’t much longer in coming as the flying Longton attack carved open any opposition for an excellent try. A yellow card reduced the hosts to a temporary fourteen before they managed to find the key to anchor the resistance. Taking three successive scrums against the head disrupted anything which Longton had been building. The visitors continued to play some dangerous rugby but continually conceded possession against the Stafford forwards who were marching them around the pitch. With XV for each side back on the field and five minutes on the clock, the game looked to have reached its conclusion. However, the now devasting Stafford scrum continued to propel all of the play up the field. With the club house in sight the County Town side tried to exploit the final opportunities of the afternoon. The experienced forwards gave their all but were met by a tenacious response from a resilient opposition. As time dropped off the clock, it looked like all of the points had been scored by tired bodies. It was left to a moment of magic by Mark Broomhall, who feinted and scrambled across the line for the final try of the game, securing a notable win.

Next A XV Match: End of Season