Stour sunk by Sale

The game appeared over as a contest when replacement Nick Murphy got his marching orders in the 37th minute, though a brief 2nd half purple patch saw Stour pull back three tries. With little but pride left to play for and injuries forcing Mark George & Liam Mather from the pitch Stour will take scant consolation from Nathan Tilsley’s brace of tries and winger Dan Rundle extending his remarkable record to a try scored in each of 7 sequential appearances.

The Stour lineup reverted to its more settled look after the previous week’s changes and reversal at Harrogate. Back came James Otutaha and Josh Trinham in the backline with Joe Heatley restored to scrum half. Up front hooker Jack Lea and lock forward Liam Mather returned with Liam Munro getting a start in the back row. Rain in the week made for a soft Stourton Park surface, Stour kicking off into a South Westerly breeze.

Stour got turned over trying to run the ball out of their 22 and found themselves defending a series of Sale attacks, centre James Otutaha finding himself in the way of a dummy runner & receiving a spell in the sinbin for leading with the shoulder. Fullback Liam McGovern landed a simple penalty attempt. 9min 0-3.

Stour’s lineout was misfiring, coughing up possession that Sale ran back at the depleted defences. A set of phases saw the ball worked to winger Paolo Odogwu who breezed past 2 defenders before slipping an inside pass to scrum half Sam Stelmaszek who raced over in the corner. 17min 0-10.

The restart was worked to Odogwu who again made deep inroads before a last-ditch tackle by Luke White brought him down, the hosts then grateful to see both Otutaha’s return and Sale miss a long-range penalty attempt. The visitors pressed again from the dropout, kicking a penalty award to the corner but seeing their maul held up. The traffic was all one way, Stour unable to hang onto possession for any length of time and only Sale’s frequent indiscipline in the tackle area allowing them any respite. Mark George & Liam Mather limped off in quick succession, Chad Thorne & Nick Murphy replacing them. A Sale lineout in the Stour 22 preceded a set of well-executed phases that stretched the defences, a defender eventually drifting offside under the posts. It was taken quickly and the onslaught resumed, no.8 Tom Ailes worked through a gap to score. 36min 0-17.

Murphy’s chase of the restart saw a red card brandished by referee Luis Calviglia after he collided with Ailes who was supporting a jumper. A lengthy injury delay ended with his substitution and Stour coughing up another lineout turnover deep in their 22. Sale worked the phases again producing a try for winger Ciaran Connolly, concluding 40min of rugby Stour would prefer to forget. Half time 0-22.

All concerned at Stourbridge RFC wish Tom Ailes a full & speedy recovery.

The 2nd half saw Sale pick up where they’d left off, Odogwu breaking down the left wing to set up a cross-kick that produced a neatly worked try for centre Jack Moorhouse. 43min 0-27.

Off the bench came Sam Wilkes, Nathan Tilsley & Rod Petty. Stung into action Stour worked their way into the Sale half, forcing a penalty award kicked to the corner. After another drive set the ball went wide where Petty worked Tilsley through a huge gap. 47min 5-27. But the work was undone when an obstruction at the restart saw Sale back in attack, outside-half Chris Johnson crossing near the posts. 51min 5-34.

Play began to break up as both sides tried the aerial route. A obstruction near halfway by Sale saw Heatley run a tap penalty, Mr Calviglia’s patience with the visitors running out as they shipped one too many penalties in defence and Odogwu took a spell in the sinbin. To the corner it went and a drive set saw Tilsley barge through for his 2nd try, Petty’s dropkick conversion successful. 62min 12-34.

2nd row Chris Depper secured the restart and launched another attack, Tilsley worked through a half-gap chasing an improbable hat-trick but having to offload to supporting captain Ciaran Moore as the cover closed in. He in turn found Rundle in space to his right to score under the posts. 63min 19-34, what odds you wondered 14-man Stour clawing back the lead ?

Sale responded by tightening their game up, kicking the restart long and forcing Stour to clear. They ground their way downfield where Johnson settled their nerves with a well-struck drop goal. 65min 19-37.

A turnover saw Tilsley race clear with Trinham in support but Mr Calviglia spotted a forward pass. Stour were penalised at the scrum and some ill-advised backchat saw the penalty advanced into McGovern’s range and he duly slotted it. 72min 19-40.

The game drew to a climax at frantic pace, Stour desperately chasing a 4th try bonus point but left empty-handed after opting to scum short-range penalty awards, Moore’s drive for the line ruled held up.

This week Stour head for the Yorkshire Dales to take on Wharfedale. Their next home game will be on Feb 18th when they host old rivals Sedgley Park with little but pride at stake for either side. ko 3pm.