This must go down as one of the most exciting games Stourbridge have played in many years and a twelve-try thriller. The lead changed hands six times and scores were level on 5 occasions. It was a fabulous advert for the game and demonstrates what a great league this is with both teams wanting to play open running rugby.

Sedgley “Tigers” have been undefeated at home all season and notable victories include beating league leaders Sale 24-16 and 3rd place Hinckley 45-29 when they scored seven tries. Tigers went on to do “the double” against Hinckley and, to date, have won 15 games out of 21. Two of their players feature in the top 5 tries scorers for the season (Dan Maher and Jamie Harrison) with 30 tries between them. This was always going to be a close game with so much at stake in terms of league position. At 14:30 on Saturday, Stour were 2nd on 83 points and Tigers were 4th on 79.

The visitors arrived with a changed side from last week given injuries to George Morgan, Chad Thorne and Josh Trinham. Fortunately, DoR Neil Mitchell was able to call on some depth in the current squad so Joe Heatley moved to scrum half, Rob Connolly came in to the centre and Alex Hearle started on to the wing. Niall Gibbons started at openside flanker.

Apart from a slightly sticky surface, conditions were fine, dry and with only a slight wind advantage. So, with sunshine and a blue sky, the 320 + crowd were anticipating an exciting afternoon. They were not going to be disappointed especially when hooker, Dan Maher opened the scoring with a well taken try after 10 minutes. It started when Stour were caught offside and the ball was drilled into the corner for a lineout. Maher grabbed the ball from the back of the maul and suddenly reappeared over the line for the first of his scores that gave him a hat trick, the first of the afternoon.

Shortly after the restart, Stour gathered the ball and attacked through Heatley, Hearle and Pailor. This gained vital territory but Tigers defended well and managed to clear their line. The kick was fielded well, finding Chris Scott and then full back Nick David who ran back at them, beating several defenders and scoring out right. Scott’s kick hit the upright but, three minutes later, he made no mistake with a penalty from a Tigers offside infringement.

Sedgley Park retook the lead just 4 minutes later in an almost carbon copy of their first try. Stour were unlucky not to earn a scrum following a strong counter ruck but the referee blew up for an offside and the ensuing lineout was rewarded with Maher’s try and 24 minutes played. The hosts were now 10 – 8 up but stand in kicker Matt Riley was unable to add to the score. However, his opposite number and namesake, Hal Riley made up for it and scored his second try in a Stourbridge shirt and what a beauty, it was! Tigers took a quick tap penalty but then conceded one of their own when another offside decision went against them. Stour opted to kick for a lineout but were still some 55 metres from the try line. The ball went out to Chris Scott who made a perfectly timed “pop” pass just as Hal Riley cut an immaculate running angle, taking the ball inside his own half. His line, speed and power were too much for the defence and, although he was caught just before the whitewash, he was not held in the tackle and managed to get to his feet and dive over the line. Scott stroked over the conversion to make it 10-15 with 7 minutes to play until half time.

Still intent on a game of running rugby, Tigers hit back almost immediately with a well worked effort from No 11 Jamie Harrison who had been threatening all game. Now level pegging, both teams and most of the crowd probably thought that this would be a fair half time score. Not so, man of the match Nigel Mukarati! With 40 minutes played, Stourbridge were awarded a penalty after a high tackle was made. The kick to touch was followed by 2 further penalties and a lineout just 5 metres out. The clean lineout ball was sent to the reliable hands of Nick Murphy. This enabled Mukarati to seize control and, assisted by a number of backs and 3 minutes of ‘extra time’ he was driven over the line and in range for Scott to add the extra 2 points.

The first half was a bruising encounter that saw Joe Heatley carried off with a nasty ankle injury and Jack Lea with a suspected detached retina. The difference between the two sides could be regarded as opportunities taken and chances missed. Indeed, as witnessed during the second half, it was the visitors’ 100% lineout record that helped Nigel Mukarati towards his second hat trick in 4 games! Although both sides scored 6 tries, Sedgley Park must be disappointed that their first choice kicker was not on the pitch. The 4 missed conversions account for the difference between winning and losing. Winston Churchill could have written the team talk at half time. The passion and desire to win was immense and it soon became clear that the second half going to be as tough as the preceding 43 minutes.

Tigers kicked off the second half and immediately won possession and an offside penalty gave them the chance for a lineout just outside the Stour 5 metre line. Enter Dan Maher for his third try of the game, once again, in a familiar fashion to the others. This secured a Bonus Point but not the lead and the visitors took just 10 minutes to gain their own BP with Mukarati on the end of yet another driving maul. It came from two Tigers infringements for being “off their feet” and gave Stour the chance of territory and possession from some distance out. The visitors were now seven points clear and both sides then traded knock on’s and penalties. Within 5 minutes, Stourbridge were penalised for an alleged high tackle giving a lineout in the corner. This time it was replacement flanker Max Skofic who scored close to the posts. Matt Riley slotted his first kick of the day and returned with an ironical punch in the air, a beaming grin and much applause from the loyal band of supporters!

There followed a significant purple patch in Stour’s game, giving away a multitude of penalties and several passages of play with no possession. Ten minutes later, the pressure was too much for an otherwise resolute but stretched defence and Skofic scored his second try and Riley his second conversion. However, this seemed to galvanise Stourbridge into action and with 12 minutes left on the clock they scored 14 unanswered points, the first by Rob Connolly. It followed a break by Nick David that gained a good 40 metres. At the breakdown, Connolly was in support and Chris Scott stroked over the conversion to tie the score at 34 - 34. Three minutes later, it was another Nick David break out from the 22 m line that released Hal Riley. Running out of space and with two defenders bearing down on him, he chipped ahead for the Tigers full back to gather. However, with no space and Hal Riley in hot pursuit, he had no option but to run the ball into touch, giving the visitors a lineout on 5 metres. Can any of our readers guess what happened next? No? Then let me explain….
Lineout throw, maul, Mukarati, try, in that order! Chris Scott made a tough conversion look easy meaning that Stourbridge had now taken the lead. However, there was still nine minutes left to play and most of this time was spent inside Stour territory. They did win a penalty but conceded a scrum after being held up in the tackle, trying to work out of the 22. With 80 minutes now played, Sedgley Park had one final throw of the dice and scrum possession was sent out right only to see a knock on from the final pass. Referee Chris Bennett blew his whistle for the final time and a very sporting crowd applauded both teams off the pitch.

The result means that Stourbridge remain 2nd just two points behind Sale but having played one more game. However, they are one point ahead of Hinckley with a game in hand and seven ahead of Sedgley Park. Next weekend Stour travel to Tynedale for the rearranged fixture. Tigers host Lions (Leicester) whilst Sale are away at 7th place Huddersfield so there is till everything to play for.

Many thanks to the faithful few supporters who followed us up to Whitefield plus Ceri Davies and Andy Cook for their skills in the use of “Box Brownies”.

In a post match Facetube post, I did say I was going to find some superlatives to describe our Man of the Match and his performance on Saturday. Well… “Your Dictionary” has done it for me.

(http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-superlative-adjectives.html)

Their first four examples are appropriate…

 Big – biggest……….number of carries
 Black – blackest… shirt after all his carries and being tackled
 Bold – boldest……..in the tackle
 Brave – bravest…..in every game he plays for SRFC

Hope to see as many of you as possible next week in picturesque Corbridge.