The crowd were entertained by a high-tempo game with both teams throwing the ball around, but it was the accuracy of Luke White’s goalkicking that again proved decisive.

Stour’s starting lineup was unchanged from the narrow loss at Sedgley Park, Josh Trinham on the bench the only switch. A cold clear day with a piercing northerly breeze announced the arrival of autumn. Stour opted to defend the southern end of the ground first up, leaving the visitors to cope with the low sun in their eyes.

The game was less than a minute in when Chester launched a first-phase threequarter move. Winger Craig Ross came into the line to find a gaping hole in the Stour defensive line and cross unhindered under the posts. 0-7. Stour kicked a scrum penalty to the corner but failed to secure their lineout throw. The clearance kick missed touch though, winger Ash Elvers launching a promising counter that ended when a loose pass flew into touch. Chester struggled to clear, Stour shaking off their recent woes by patiently working through the phases to stretch the visitors’ defences. The chance looked to have gone but a big scrum shove saw a strike against the head and a short range try for centre James Otutaha. 11min 7-7.

Chester worked an attack into Stour territory and were awarded a penalty near the 22 but outside-half Callum Bennett’s goalkick flew wide. With both sides securing turnovers in the tackle area play flowed freely from end to end, Chester finally penalised for a tackle offence allowing outside-half Luke White to land a penalty from 30m out. 20min 10-7. A further breathless passage of play saw lock Chris Depper make distance down the left, the ball moved quickly to Otutaha who made a clean line break, with the cover closing the ball was worked to hooker Sam Wilkes who crossed near the posts. 26min 17-7.

A wave of Chester attacks on the Stour 22 were repelled but at the expense of a mounting penalty count. Chester opted to kick to the corner, slowly advancing on the line until a further penalty saw referee Jack Makepeace’s patience exhausted and captain Ciaran Moore despatched to the sin bin. A catch & drive against the depleted defences finally yielded a try for no.8 Dave Ford. 36min 17-14. Chester pressed again, Otutaha also seeing yellow for a tackle offence that left Stour’s 13 men to defend a lineout in the corner as the clock wound down. They were grateful to see the throw overcooked, flanker Billy Harding securing loose ball that was hoofed dead. Halftime 17-14.
Stour restarted with ball-retention and containment on the agenda until back to full complement, but Chester secured a turnover and flung it wide looking to stretch the defences. Another wayward lineout throw gave Stour some breathing space but they failed to clear, Chester again attacking wide for Ross to crash over in the corner. 46min 17-19. Still a man down Stour secured a lineout and worked their short-ball game which started to generate big inroads into Chester’s defences, the ball was spun wide where fullback Rod Petty’s cut-out pass found loosehead Tom Harrison lurking unmarked. 49min 24-19.

Back came Chester working Ross round the defences but his chip was defused under the posts by the now-returned Otutaha. Stour countered and found space for Heatley who scorched out of the Stour 22 to make 70m before the cover brought him down, they recycled but were penalised for holding on. A promising Chester’s attack stalled in similar fashion deep in the Stour 22. The hosts cleared and got their driving maul working, securing a penalty 40m out that While coolly slotted. 60min 27-19.

Stour pressed an attack in the Chester’s 22, but the visitors weren’t done and took a well-deserved bonus point when a lock Ross White finished off a 90m move that started with a turnover. 65min 27-24. As legs tired and gaps started to appear the game continued to flow from end to end and the next score looked likely to be decisive. Awarded a short-range penalty Stour opted to scrum but were turned over in contact, Chester looking for a seemingly suicidal breakout from their in-goal that the hosts’ defences forced into touch. Stour executed a set of phases off the lineout and worked the ball wide to Heatley whose neat 1-2 with Josh Trinham saw him regather a kick through to score the bonus-point try. 78min 34-25. Chester threw everything into last-gasp attack but were held out, Stour happy to kick the ball out and hear the final whistle.

This Saturday Stour travel to the Wirral to take on National 2 North leaders Caldy, 2pm ko. Stourbridge Lions host Silhillians in the RFU Intermediate cup, ko 2.15pm.