As predicted, this was to be a close game and honours remain even at two games each plus a sore draw! However, we did manage to secure three valuable league points with a 4 try Bonus whilst South Leicester only scored two but it was the kicking machine, Rickie Aley who notched up 16 points and made the difference.

The Met Office had forecast 4 degrees and sunshine but in the biting wind it seemed more like minus 4 degrees and no place for a winger or full back! Stour kicked off proceedings with wind advantage and didn’t take long to get on the scoreboard. South cleared the kick to touch only to concede a penalty and Stour were unlucky not to score immediately but were adjudged to have been “held up”. The 5 m scrum produced scrappy ball but some quick thinking by Robbie Forbes saw the No 10 pounce on the ball for only his second try in Blue and White.

Three minutes later, Forbes was instrumental in sending George Morgan clear, again following a penalty lineout and quick ball off the top. Morgan’s line of running was superb and he sliced through the gap from 15 metres out. This time, the Heatley conversion was successful and the visitors had a 12-point lead with less than nine minutes on the clock!

South hit back with some slick play of their own and sent waves of forwards and backs towards their visitors’ line. The pressure told when a loose ball could not be taken cleanly by Stour and South’s hooker, Adam Johnson dived on the ball and Aley converted the first of his 100% tally. This spurred on South Leicester whose scrum dominance gave Stour considerable troubles. The match video replay may show that the attacking scrummagers were not exactly straight and it took some time before Stour’s forwards were able to regain some control. However, not before Aley landed a series of penalties including one on 19 minutes!

Living on scraps, Stour’s best passage of play came 10 minutes from half time when they finally steadied the scrum and Sam Pailor picked up from the back around the half way line. His break was enough to disrupt the defence and a nice offload found Charlie Jeavons-Fellows in support, 35 metres out. CJF still had plenty of work to do and some elusive running combined with strong legwork broke a number of tackles taking him over for Stour’s third try and Robbie Forbes added the extras to make it 10 – 19 in favour of the visitors.

The remainder of the half stayed scoreless and both teams returned to the confines of the changing rooms, presumably to sonorous directives from their respective coaches! South kicked off second half proceedings and, entirely on script, their No 10 Aley took full advantage of wind conditions as well as a low sun. using a combination of booming clearances and neat chip kicks, he pinned Stour back inside their own half. It took just seven minutes for the tactics to be rewarded and Aley added a further 3 points to his tally.

Stourbridge did put together some counter moves but sloppy work between the set piece and backs meant their efforts were fruitless. The second half also saw Stour’s lineout continue to falter and another penalty to South, on 55 minutes gave greater emphasis to the home side’s tactics. It took a further 10 minutes before the hosts took the lead for the first time, through a try by replacement Adam Nunney. South could also have scored a few moments earlier but the final pass, just a few metres out was adjudged forward. Matt Cooke’s chase after an Aley kick also failed thanks to a great cover tackle by Dan Rundle.

Three minutes after Aley converted the Nunney try he extended South’s lead by another 3 points for Stourbridge “holding on”, leaving Stourbridge with the prospect of their 2nd defeat in a row and a single bonus point for their troubles.

However, replacement hooker Jack Lea had other plans and he bowled over the line to score a well deserved try but still having to stretch over with finger tip precision! Forbes added the conversion to level the scores and a nervous final two minutes for both sides went scoreless.

The Rugby Paper gave their “Star Man” award to George Morgan but it could have gone to a number of players. Aley for his kicking, Charlie J-F for his running, tackling and support play, both being strong candidates. However, Man of the Match from Stour’s point of view goes to debutante Nick Mann for “…doing what he was asked to do, when we wanted and how we wanted…”!

Next Saturday, we see a massive day’s rugby and the official opening of the new RUGBY 365 AGP with proceedings starting at midday and an opening ceremony by Peter Wheeler (Leicester, England and Lions), Stourbridge Under 14’s v Hinckley Under 14’s and a league clash of 2nd v 1st with Stourbridge hosting local rivals Hinckley. The day is completed when it is the ladies turn to show their rugby talents as Dudley Kingswinford Vixens take on an Invitation Women’s’ XV, kicking off at 17:30.

It will also be the final game for Charlie Jeavons-Fellows before he returns home for Christmas, a bit of travelling and university life. However, we may well see some guys returning from injury and other commitments so please follow the web site for further information.

This would be great value for money if you were to pay for entry but the whole event is FREE of CHARGE and we look forward to seeing a bumper crowd for an historic day at Stourton Park.