Stour were on the road again in the first of two consecutive visits north to Yorkshire and reacquainting themselves with old rivals Sheffield who have taken some 12 years to return to level 4 and a side we last played in a previous millennium! We have been on the negative side of results, losing 6 games and winning five of the previous 11 fixtures including our last encounter 40-15 at Abbeydale Park. Stourbridge therefore had a point to prove in today’s encounter. Sheffield’s demise started at the onset of the professional era and the end of rugby as a school sport within the city. This led to a decline in the fortunes of the first team and subsequent demotion from National League status in 2004. They finally gained the most recent promotion after finishing second in National League 3 and winning the play off (North v Midlands).

Stour were on target to field a strong but young side. However, the team departed Stourton Park without fly half Chris Scott who had been drafted into HM Constabulary for Operation Temperer and protection of our capital city following Friday’s terrorist attack. This meant that veteran Rod Petty came off the bench for a start at 10 and club stalwart Adam Sturdy put his boots on for the first time, in anger, this season. With only a hardened few making the trip, Stourbridge played in front of the smallest band of supporters we can recall for many a year but the weather was bright and dry and it was game on!

Sheffield kicked off and started well with double figure phases of play. This was met by strong defence and a futile kick ahead by Sheffield ended up as “touch in goal” giving the visitors some breathing space. Minutes later, they then managed to steal a Sheffield line out and within a few phases, Dan Rundle received some quick ball and clever interplay with Afeafe Haisila saw Rundle on the end of a scoring pass and it was 0-5 with 9 minutes gone. Afeafe then converted from the touchline for a further two points and Stour were on the way towards a dominant first half performance. However, they didn't help their own cause as they seemed to give away needless penalties and a (now) illegal kick through the ruck, followed by two offsides gave Sheffield the chance for 3 points but Hodgson’s kick was defeated by the post and this was to set another pattern of play as the reader will find out later!

After 19 minutes, Petty gathered the ball and his clearance kick put the visitors on the front foot again. The home side were then penalised for a high tackle and Stour gained more territory. Further possession saw another phase of interplay, this time between Heatley and Rundle. This was thwarted but, playing advantage, the ball ended up in a ruck, George Morgan gathered and crashed over on the 20minute mark. Afeafe was just millimetres wide with a difficult conversion but made up for it eight minutes later following a Steve Leach try. Attacking play saw Ben Tibbetts taken out by what appeared to be an armless tackle which neither referee or AR’s picked up. But Tibbo’s timely offload was enough to reach Leach (more clever alliteration!) once again on the far left of the pitch. Score now was 0 – 19 and the few Midlands vocal chords were starting to stretch on this warm afternoon. Afeafe Haisila then added a try of his own following further Stour interplay. Nick David replaced a wind less Tibbetts and Joe Heatley moved to scrum half. David was then instrumental in returning a Sheffield kick, feeding Heatley whose break gained more yardages and Afeafe latched on to a last gasp pass in the right corner, diving athletically for the touchdown! His own conversion was successful and the visitors took a commanding 26-point lead with just 6 minutes left of the first half. Never ones to lie down, Sheffield then hit back with a try by front row Dan Rylance after Stour gave away an offside penalty and Sheffield opted for a driving lineout. The score was just outside the right post but Hodgson failed to convert. Notwithstanding, he was given another chance by the referee who adjudged a premature charge down by the Stourbridge speedsters. Hodgson replaced the ball but, in an almost sporting gesture, kicked his attempt even wider and half time was upon the two sides.

5 – 26 and a bonus point after just 33 minutes was enough to give the handful of Stourbridge supporters reasons to be optimistic for a great second half. Sheffield remained on the pitch but the visitors opted for a long trip back to the changing rooms and a well-earned 10-minute break. A summary of the first half would include topics of conversation such as “…nervous start from both sides…strong Stour scrum and …who is that winger with footwork that would confuse even the quickest of lenses?”

Second half discussions may revolve around “…spirited comeback…lapse of concentration…unpenalised transgressions…why would we do that...?” but, at the end of the day, a second half drawn in points scored, but a moral victory by a proud and determined Sheffield team!

It took 13 minutes and 9 lines of scribbled notes for the scoreboard eventually to tick over as Stourbridge full back, Joe Heatley, showed some true class by scoring his 4th try of the season. At this stage, the reader may guess that the first session was interspersed by some attacking and defensive play by both sides. However, it was another searing break by Afeafe Haisila who set Heatley up for an unconverted try. The next 20 minutes saw Sheffield score 12 unanswered points through tries by Connor Mitchell and Rupert Broadley and (at last) a Hodgson conversion. The pick of play was by Mitchell who was released by a trademark snipe from experienced scrum half Steve Depledge who has troubled us at Otley on many an occasion! The move started just inside Stour half way line and Connor M had several defenders to beat before dotting down close enough for the Sheffield No 10, Hodgson, to slot over the extras.

With seven minutes left on the clock and Stour down to 14 men following a Petty lapse, the feint hearted could see Stour conceding a losing BP to an ascendant Sheffield side and, indeed, the run of play was in favour of the hosts. Boosted by the Stour kick off not going 10 metres, the Sheffield hopes were then dashed as their scrum was lost and play eventually went to a slicing break by Mukarati only for the next phase to see offside by the visitors. In an almost ironical change of play, Stour managed to steel the Sheffield penalty lineout! George Morgan ran free and there followed some broken play ending with a Heatley kick through. Stour regained the ball after a Sheffield lineout. Action and reaction was happening by the second but the resulting pressure meant that the hosts had to concede a penalty.

With time now running out, Rod Petty in the bin following a Yellow Card and victory inevitable, the sensible move would have been to take 3 points from a penalty kick. However, Captain Pailor then lost his sense of hearing (readers may remember he lost his coat of invisibility last week!) and ignored the management shouts from the technical area. He ordered the ball to be kicked for touch and, never in doubt, Stour secured the pill that was dispatched with inordinate speed to the left and included a sublime and sharp tap pass by Rundle. A grateful Nick David latched on to the ball and touched down to give last bragging rights to Stourbridge, 13 points to Afeafe Haisila and a well-deserved 5 league points to the visitors.

At close of play on Saturday, Stourbridge lie second in the table simply by virtue points difference to Tynedale who have scored just one more point but conceded 5 less. Early days… but these could be vital by the time April comes and Stourton Park host their North East rivals on the 14th!

This was a great team performance with cameo roles played by both forwards and backs. Afeafe Haisila was class and even the lapses by players from both sides could be forgiven in an entertaining if somewhat penalty strewn 80 minutes. Man of the Match award is always open to subjective and objective judgments but for an honest and reliable 80 minutes, it was George Morgan’s performance that stood out.

Thank you for taking the time to read our report and we hope you have enjoyed it. A free pint will go to the first reader who spots all six subliminal references to our hosts’ industrial heritage!

Match Report by Richards Stanley - Pics courtesy of Andy Cook