With Bens Barkley and Hughes unavailable Tom Jarvis stepped up to outside centre, Gary Dipple taking the fullback spot and Nathan Bressington returning on the right wing. Jack Spencer started at hooker, Mark George taking his accustomed tighthead side with Steve Blackburn at loosehead. Robbie Hurrell started at 2nd row, leaving Drew Harper with four new companions on the bench in Jacob Nash, Jordan Page, Nick Murphy & Adam Sturdy. On a beautiful cloudless day for rugby the game was played on well-prepared dry surface, Chester kicking off into a fresh breeze.

Early loose ball was kicked downfield by Chester as referee Chris Bennett applied the advantage law intelligently to allow the game to flow. Stour countered, Ciaran Moore just held out in the corner before the ball was worked right again where Stef Cooksammy came into the line and shrugged off a tackle to score.

Chester’s threequarters attacked from a lineout but they got turned over in contact, Cooksammy breaking down the left and planting a long kick that the defenders scrambled clear. Chester’s backs attacked after Stour threw not straight, a missed tackle gifting a linebreak to winger John Ketland who evaded the cover to run 60m to score under the posts.

A penalty gifted Chester an attacking platform near the Stour line, their maul drive held out but outside half Rhys Hayes held off a flimsy tackle attempt to score under the posts. Stour countered and secured an attacking scrum just short of the Chester line, the Stour pack applied their considerable size advantage and shunted the hosts back, scrum-half Toby Handley getting the touchdown and Caolan Ryan’s conversion levelling the scores.

With halftime imminent Chester pressed an attack into the Stour 22 but threw a loose pass that was seized by replacement hooker Jordan Page. With the Chester defences misaligned Ryan spotted a gap and took a flat pass at full pace to blast clear, turning the cover tacklers inside out to score under the posts. Halftime 14-21.

With Tom Jarvis forced off with a cut Stour had to reshuffle their backline, Nathan Bressington moving to fullback where he was treated to a 2nd half bombardment by Hayes who now had the breeze on his back. But Stour worked their way upfield with ball in hand and secured a 14 point advantage when the alert Eji Uzoigwe took a quick tap penalty to crash over to secure a bonus-point 4th try.

Stour’s familiar last-quarter frailties came back to haunt them though, Chester moving an attack right then left where Hayes spotted a cluster of front-five defenders in the line and sidestepped his way through to score. Stour defended grimly, Uzoigwe moving to makeshift centre when Stef Shillingford was forced off with a knock. The lead was then reduced to just 2 points when further short-range pressure from Chester put 2nd Row Kyle Joseph clear to score in the corner.

Hayes again went the aerial route forcing Stour to concede possession from a 22 dropout. Chester kept the tempo high, driving closer and closer to the Stour line where Hayes’ pass found fullback Matt Walsh who drove over to put his team ahead. Stour weren’t finished though and pressed an attack but were turned over in contact, Hayes’ boot sending them back 60m. With the clock winding down Stour secured a lineout in the Chester midfield, but crucially the throw failed to find Hurrell. An accidental offside gifted them a final opportunity but the cover forced Bressington into touch and the final whistle blew, Stour left to take the consolation prize of 2 bonus points.

This Saturday Stour host Harrogate in their last game of the season, kick off 3pm.