A bus breakdown delayed the team’s arrival at Paton Field until barely a half hour before the scheduled kick-off, with no lights there was little enthusiasm from either hosts or match officials to accommodate a request to delay the start. Despite this Stour put in a much more convincing performance than of late, but crucially they allowed a narrow lead on the half hour to slip to a 10 point deficit just after half time. By the hour mark the pack’s scrum dominance had enabled them to claw back a 2 point lead, but the hosts finished the stronger and hit a late penalty to secure the victory. Stour will be disappointed to have taken just a losing point from the game, the pressure grows further as they slip uncomfortably close to the National 2 North relegation battle.

With the pack unchanged Caolan Ryan moved to outside half from fullback where Tom Jarvis came in. Gary Dipple moved to the bench with Sione Tu’ipolotu starting at inside centre, also on the bench were Bobbie Lawrenson and Lions’ regular hooker Fred Brookes. The playing surface was excellent despite heavy midweek rain, a strong gusting breeze blowing off the Dee estuary and across the pitch.
Caldy shipped a penalty at the first scrum, from the lineout Tu’ipolotu broke through the first-up defences to feed Eji Uzoigwe on his inside shoulder. He made it deep into the Caldy 22 before he was held up, the ball was swiftly recycled left where Tu’ipolotu reappeared to force his way over in the corner. 5min 0-5.

Caldy moved it wide off a lineout and worked a man free down the left wing, his chip ahead defused by the covering Stef Cooksammy but at the expense of a short range attacking scrum. Stour’s pack were penalised and Caldy opted for an attacking lineout, but great line speed in defence by skipper Nigel Mukarati forced back an attack down the narrow side. Shillingford’s tackle allowed Stour to counter-ruck, they recovered possession and Ryan kicked clear, but Stour then conceded a penalty for offside that was slotted by fullback Richard Vasey. 18min 3-5.

Dipple replaced Nathan Bressington on the right wing. With Caldy’s scrum under pressure they opted to kick for territory and pin Stour back in their 22, though the defences held they started to cough up penalties, referee Ben Blain eventually losing patience and sinbinning Cooksammy for not releasing in the tackle. To the corner it went and Caldy’s catch & drive worked, 2nd row Louis McGowan crashing over. 28min 10-5.

Finally enjoying a period of sustained possession Stour pressed and Ryan managed to slip through the defensive line. He found Dipple on his shoulder before the tacklers brought him down, the ball went left again to Shillingford who held off several defenders to run the final 30m to score. 32min 10-12.

Caldy ran back a deep clearance, a Stour defender strayed offside and Vasey landed his 2nd penalty kick. 35min 13-12. Still a man short Stour continued to kick deep infield, inviting the hosts to run back at them. With the halftime whistle imminent Caldy secured a scrum in the Stour midfield, the ball was moved right and centre Gavin Roberts sliced though a yawning gap in the first-up defences to score under the posts. Halftime 20-12.

Early 2nd half pressure by Stour produced a penalty the Ryan slotted. 42min 20-15. Caldy’s scrum started to creak under pressure and conceded a penalty, but Ryan’s long-rage effort just fell short. Stour built the pressure up again, Uzoigwe denied by a defender as he chased Ryan’s chip through but the referee overruled his assistant’s foul play signal. Stour turned over Caldy’s lineout throw, the maul was held up in in-goal but the scrum wasn’t to be denied and Mr Blain awarded a penalty try after Caldy’s pack twice pulled the drive round. 60min 20-22.

Though now in the lead Stour were immediately on the back foot when a handling error gifted Caldy an attacking position. Icy rain started to fall but they managed to clear and advanced to halfway before turning over a lineout with a crooked throw. Caldy drove back and Stour coughed up a penalty right in front of the posts for not releasing in the tackle. Vasey made no mistake with the kick. 70min 23-22.

Chris Depper replaced Robbie Hurrell, Stour’s next drive reached Caldy’s 22 but Ryan’s attempted long-range drop flew left. Stour went again but an isolated ball carrier got turned over and Caldy hoofed the ball deep into the corner. Brookes’ lineout throw found Ciaran Moore, Stour tried to run it from deep but a wayward pass flew into touch. Caldy knocked on but were awarded a penalty at the resulting scrum for a binding offence. With the clock running down they opted to keep it tight, kicked to the corner and drove, the defences just holding but at the expense of a yellow card for Tu’ipolotu. Again they drove, the defences forcing a knock-on but time was up. Full time 23-22.