Stour stick 7 on Stockport

Stour responded with composure, working hard in defence and playing the phases in attack to create front-foot ball as they dominated the collision area, turning pressure into tryscoring opportunities. The bonus point victory leaves them with a cushion most unlikely to be eroded by the sides in the drop zone, despite a run-in that includes games against 5 of the top 7 sides in the league.

In Adam Sturdy’s absence Jack Spencer made his first start at tighthead, Mark George moving across to loosehead to accommodate. Fred Brookes took the starting hooker slot, with Dale ‘Fritz’ Garner back after his German trip to take the sub role. Bobbie Lawrenson retained the 7 jersey, keeping Eji Uzoigwe on the bench where he was joined by Sione Tu’ipolotu as Ben Barkley returned at inside centre.

The sun shone occasionally into the eyes of the Stour back 3, playing uphill but with the wind advantage 1st half. Stour kicked deep and the tone was set early as Stockport declined every opportunity to kick clear, opting to run wide at the visitors. This backfired when a ball carrier was isolated & penalised, the ball was kicked to the corner and after a set of short drives Toby Handley’s dummy at the base wrongfooted the fringe defenders and he snuck in for a carbon copy of his previous week’s try. Caolan Ryan converted, 3min 0-7.

The hosts opted to kick a penalty for a tackle offence into Stour’s 22 where they got a maul rumbling down the hill and a short drive from hooker Oli Longmore was rewarded with a try. 6min 7-7.

With both sides happy to run the ball play continued at a breathless pace until some audacious dummies from Ryan fashioned a break from the Stour 10m line. With the cover closing in as he reached the hosts 22 he threw an inside pass to Barkley who was cynically taken out by home fullback Jon Edwards. He received a yellow card from referee Matt Turvey who was right on the spot, unlike the home captain who nonetheless rather unconvincingly protested his teammate’s innocence. To the corner it went but Robbie Hurrell got isolated and penalised for holding on as Stockport stood off the maul. Good defensive work by Lawrenson won the ball back with a penalty for the same offence, Ciaran Moore running a quick tap penalty that drew a further award for not 10m. Ryan slotted the kick at goal, 13min 7-10.

A tight call saw Stour penalised for offside as the restart kick was fumbled, the hosts opted to kick to the corner and laid siege to the Stour line. Successive penalties for tackle offences drew a warning, with Lawrenson then sinbinned as the defenders transgressed again. Stour cleared the immediate danger but when George was penalised at the game’s first scrum the hosts kicked for the corner and no.8 Simon Greene was able to barge through some flimsy defence to score. 22min 14-10.

A promising Stockport break was pulled back for a forward pass, Stour started to play the phases and though Ryan was brought down inches short of the tryline, Shillingford was able to barge his way through 2 defenders. 28min 14-17.

A Drew Harper steal at a lineout set up a further set of phases that looked to have worked Lawrenson in to score but Mr Turvey spotted an obstruction in the lead-up and it was chalked off. Stockport ran it back but good work by George won a penalty that was advanced 10m for throwing the ball away. With multiple options available Ryan hoisted a crossfield punt that winger Stef Cooksammy calmly collected and shrugged off several tackle attempts to score. 34min 14-24. Neither side managed to mount a further substantive attack before halftime.

A sloppy restart put the hosts back into attack, they were only denied a score when a pass failed to go to hand inches from the Stour line. The visitors countered and Harper’s break was nearly rewarded but a last ditch tackle saw Hurrell forced into touch near the corner. A worked lineout allowed Brookes to make big inroads into the hosts’ defences, the ball was worked to the backs for Shillingford to simply bounce a defender and cross for his 2nd try. 48min 14-29.

Stockport’s restart chase was again successful, Stour’s defences coughing up penalties and drawing a further warning from Mr Turvey as they were forced to hold out a wave of attacks. A Stockport hand in the ruck enabled them to lift the siege, Gary Dipple fielding a loose clearance kick to set up a wave of attacks that ended with George crashing through the defences. 61min 14-34.

Stour managed to secure the restart but were immediately on the back foot when an isolated ball carrier got penalised. Stockport went for the corner and drove, a further penalty call seeing replacement flanker Eji Uzoigwe despatched to the sin bin. The depleted pack managed to force a turnover with a counter-ruck though and a blatant obstruction on Gary Dipple allowed Ryan to find touch in the hosts half. A defender stuck his hands in the ruck, Ryan opted to run the penalty and drives by Tu’ipolotu and Shillingford set up another short-range try for George. 72min 14-41.

Stour again failed to secure the restart, and despite some dogged defensive work the hosts were able to break their 2nd half duck as Green was worked clear. 74min 19-41.

Chasing a bonus point try Stockport tried to run from deep as the clock ran down, but couldn’t penetrate the determined defensive line. Disaster struck when Garner read a pass and intercepted, he was hauled down short of the line but the ball was shifted quickly right for Dipple to cross in the corner, Ryan landing a difficult conversion kick. Full time 19-48.