LIONS ROAR BACK TO END LOSING RUN

After 3 consecutive losses Stourbridge Lions were back to winning ways at home against bottom club Stafford with an ultimately comprehensive 30-12 victory. The bonus point win moves them further away from danger.
The game opened with the Lions, and especially the pack, heeding coach Jon Tibbetts’ pre-match call for more fire and dynamism upfront. Early inroads into the Stafford half saw Joe Loverock’s powerful run down the right rewarded with an unconverted try in the corner after 3 mins. Unfortunately within another 4 mins Stafford were ahead, a speculative kick to the edge of the Lions’ 22 causing hesitancy and a bounce back saw Stafford ground under the posts for a converted try. 7-5 to the visitors.
It was from here, for the rest of the half the Lions showed the fruits of their week’s training and tactics. Sam Robinson, already showing great control at 10, began a series of pressure phases with some fine kicks that pushed Stafford back for the next 20 mins. The pressure resulted in a fine grubber through by Robinson on 25 mins from just inside the visiting 22. The ball was pounced on by young Josh Trinham on the left for his first Lions try. On 30 mins an almost identical kick by Robinson led to Chance touching down on the left. Both tries were unconverted, leaving the Lions 15-7 up.
By now the Lions pack was dominant in both scrum and lineout, a measure of their dominance being 3 scrums taken against the head and 4 lineouts on Stafford’s throw, where Doolittle and Crouch disrupted much of the Stafford ball. More significant by half-time was the penalty count, which was a vast improvement on the previous week at Shrewsbury. The half ended with a failed penalty attempt by Stafford.
The second period saw Stafford obviously responding to their coach’s words with a much improved tightening of scrum and lineout. Despite this the Lions extended their lead with a fine try down the right, engineered by a fine run and kick by Ben Trinham and great speed and tenacity from right wing Will Fallows to beat the cover and touch down. A fine conversion from Trinham looked to have given a match-winning lead of 22-7.
Unfortunately, a lack of focus from the Lions and fine pressure from Stafford saw them back in contention within 5 mins, a try under the posts giving them some hope. The rest of the game was largely played in midfield or the Stafford half, with a Trinham penalty restoring some of the advantage. Finally, a fine move from just outside the home 22 resulted in Josh Trinham cutting inside to the Stafford 22 and releasing Chance for his second try with a fine reverse pass.
Maximum points and a much improved performance with great defence from the backs and the back row where Meakin made a fine and welcome return. This was a great team performance but mention must go to the constant pressure exerted by Ben Trinham at scrum-half and the excellent game management throughout of Sam Robinson. Again, there was a tendency at times to lose concentration but the driving play of the forwards, in which skipper Doolittle, Meakin and the Bowser brothers were prominent, was a key to the win. Next week is another tough assignment at home to Wolverhampton but there will be much more confidence, bolstered as well by the 2nds’ fine win at Luctonians.

Jon Dews