Stafford Colts hosted Evesham colts In the first home league fixture of the season.

Evesham opened the scoring after 11 minutes with a flowing move through the backs to score out wide. Stafford responded by applying pressure through the forwards and were rewarded when Charlie Kirby burst over the try line following a quickly taken tap penalty. Evesham than took firm control of the match capitalizing on some static defending at the breakdown from Stafford and some loose handling in midfield to score two converted tries. Half time score was 5 – 19 and it was not looking like it was going to be a good afternoon for Stafford Colts.

However, Stafford came out of the blocks fast in the second half with Fin Osmant scoring a sharp try down the blind side of a ruck after only 2 minutes. Dan Poultney had come on at half time and was playing in the centre rather than his customary back row position and the Evesham backs did not know how to handle him. The increased tempo and dynamic running from the Stafford back line seemed to energise the whole team. From the dancing feet of full back Ed Mathews through to the barrelling running of hooker Colton Mclaughlin the Stafford side had Evesham on the back foot. A barn storming run through midfield from hooker Colton and a subtle offload saw Dan Poultney dot the ball down under the Evesham posts, Henry Ralphs adding the conversion. Stafford started to attack from their own half with Dan Poultney making some surging runs from out wide. The Stafford pack were quick to exploit the scrambling Evesham defence and Rhys Bowen dived over from a ruck on the Evesham try line. Stafford’s final try came when the ball was chipped behind the Evesham defence and Dan Poultney gathered the bouncing ball and raced away to score under the Evesham posts, Ralph’s again adding the simple conversion. The second half ended with Stafford having scored 26 unanswered points with the final score being 31 – 19 to the home side.

It was a stunning second half performance from Stafford full of dynamic running and determined defence. The message at half time to get off the line quicker at the breakdown had obviously got through and the tiring Evesham side did not have an answer. Evesham were unable to get the ball down the backs as they had in the first half and they had no answer to the dynamic running that Dan Poultney brought to the Stafford attack. As a whole team Stafford really stepped up and came away with a deserved victory.

Next up for the colts are a couple of friendly fixtures on Friday night against Longton and hopefully another fixture on Sunday. Well done guys great game, much appreciated by the large and very vocal crowd, keep on improving and working hard for each other and we will see you all at training.

Mark