Stour struggle to find form against Luctonians

Lucs grabbed another with an early 2nd half breakaway, closing the lead to just 4 points, but Stour composed themselves, set about imposing their authority up front and finally forced a 4th try from short-range. With the job done and their opponents tiring they were content to shut down the game to open their home league campaign with a less than pretty bonus-point victory.

Stour kicked off defending the roadside end with the benefit of a light Northerly breeze. Their intention to move the ball around was clear when an early penalty near halfway was tapped & run by scrum half Jon Higgins, Sione Tu’ipolotu having moved out to the outside centre berth when Stef Shillingford tweaked a hamstring in the week. The ball was moved into Lucs’ 22 but Jamie Hearn was given the ball with few options and the defenders managed to win the contact areato secure a turnover.

A further penalty conceded by the Lucs’ defenders was kicked to the corner but the hosts were unable to fashion a linebreak, eventually a maul got held up and Lucs were again able to clear their lines. Tom Jarvis’s attempt to return a kick by running from deep produced a further turnover in Stour territory as Lucs flooded the tackle area but the defence had regrouped and the attack was repelled when Lucs were penalised at the scrum. This was kicked to touch in the Lucs 22 where a beautiful Ben Hughes lineout take set up a trademark bulldozing run down the middle by Ben Barkley. His offload found partner Tu’ipolotu who was only hauled down by a desperate last-ditch cover tackle, Drew Harper’s subsequent drive was held up over the line for an attacking 5m scrum. Tu’ipolotu attracted 4 or 5 tacklers in the next move but they were not able to hold him out again. Bown converted, 7-0 on the quarter hour.

Lucs’ threequarters attacked from a lineout but spilled the ball in the Stour midfield, Barkley reacting quickest to gather the ball and tear downfield where he fed outside half Gareth Bown. He coolly drew the last defender and fed Tu’ipolotu who gratefully touched down in the left corner for his 2nd try, Bown converting. 20min 14-0.

Stour’s next attack found Hearn with more space to work in, he was hauled down short of the line but referee Ridley took exception to Lucs’ centre Geraint Langdon’s hands in the ruck and he produced a yellow card. Stour scented blood, kicked for the corner and attempted a catch & drive against the depleted defence but the maul again got held up. An offside penalty gave them another attempt though that they managed to trundle over with Harper in possession. Bown was unable to convert, 30min 19-0.

Stour’s next attack looked to have worked an overlap down the left flank but a wayward pass into touch surrendered possession. Lucs’ kicked deep and the chasers managed to isolate Hearn in the tackle & force a penalty which was kicked to the corner to set up their first significant attacking platform. Two penalties in quick succession for offside were both tapped and run, a threequarter working a mismatch as he ran around tight five defender to score. 33min 19-5.

Stour gathered the restart and attacked but were again penalised for holding on at the tackle. Lucs were content to just kick from deep, these being defused without fuss until scrum half Ben Williams hoisted a brute that was gathered on the halfway by his no.8 Brad Talbot. He brushed off the defenders and the ball was worked right to flanker Dan Smith who rounded the cover to score in the corner. Halftime 19-10.

Stour started the 2nd half nervously, a free-kick punted high into their backfield by Lucs, Higgins’ attempted clearance charged down but good cover play by Hughes just averting disaster. Captain Nigel Mukarati drove big holes into the defence from a lineout deep in the Stour 22, the ball was worked wide to Nathan Bressington who kicked ahead deep into the Lucs 22 but looked to have been taken out off the ball. Lucs fullback Norris ran the ball back on the counter, finding space to reach his own 10m line before deep kicks were exchanged, Bown’s return setting up a Stour lineout just outside the Lucs 22. The ball was moved wide as the hosts hammered away at the line but an attempted pass went loose for Lucs’ outside half Will Burton. He hared off downfield, managing to hold off the chasers to score after covering the entire 100m length of the pitch. 47min 19-15 and alarm bells ringing as Lucs closed to within a score.

Struggling to maintain any continuity as they continued to fall foul of Mr Ridley in the tackle area, Stour found themselves deep in their 22 defending a lineout, the momentum with the visitors who had started to introduce their replacements. But the alert Harper managed to force a penalty for holding on in the tackle, Bown cleared downfield and the danger passed. With the introduction of Adam Sturdy & Jack Lea the Stour scrum started to gain the upper hand. Lucs conceded a penalty that was kicked to the corner where a well worked catch & drive produced a bonus point try for sub Chris Depper who had just replaced Harper. 63min 24-15.

With the pattern established, Stour were now targeting a Lucs scrum coughing up a steady supply of penalties. Lucs mounted one last push, reaching the Stour 22 but were unable to penetrate the dogged defences and settled for 3 points and a losing bonus point when Depper was caught in possession after gathering Jarvis’ blocked clearance kick. But Bown’s penalty kick following a further scrum transgression clawed the 3 points back and denied the visitors the bonus point as the clock ran out.

There is rugby this Saturday at Stourton Park when the Lions take on Moseley Oak in Midlands 2 West, kick off 3pm. Stourbridge make the short journey to Leicester Lions, the supporters coach leaving at 11am for a 2pm kick off.