1st XV 10 - 19 Blaydon

Player of the Match - Adam Sturdy

Blaydon 19 Stourbridge Saxons 10                 by Paul Smith
 
Captain Fantastic Ben Hughes crossed twice for Stourbridge, to take his try tally for the season into double figures, but Director of Rugby Neil Mitchell had little else to celebrate on his return to NE16.
 
His team were outscored by three tries to two, and denied a losing bonus point. Although they will take some positives from their performance, it is hard not to view it as a missed opportunity.
 
Stour beat Blaydon in October by a 30-point margin. Little of what was seen at Crow Green suggested that the North Easterners had closed the gap in the intervening period, although, in their defence, only seven Saxons started both games.
 
Adam Sturdy’s return, Joe Baker’s switch to tight head and Oli Atkinson’s prominent debut brought some welcome solidity to the front five. The driving lineout was back to its pre-Christmas level, while Stour controlled the scrummage until Sturdy and Ben Gerry exited in the final quarter.
 
Behind the scrum, Tom Richardson and Charlie Fellows both enjoyed lively games, creating several try scoring opportunities, which wanted only for a finish.
 
Blaydon were seven points up before Stourbridge had touched the ball, courtesy of a converted try from scrum half Tom Rock. The home side’s Director of Rugby broke blind from a five metre scrum, leaving full back Adam Armstrong to add a well-judged conversion.
 
Ben Griffiths was carried off after only nine minutes, and his replacement, James Rodley, had an immediate chance to get on the scoreboard. Unfortunately, the flanker failed to hold Charlie Fellows’ offload, after the winger had made a darting break.
 
A bullocking run from home centre and man of the match James Fitzpatrick was only halted by good Stour scramble defence, but Blaydon won quick ball, and put winger Simon Barber over for his fifth try of the season.
 
Turnovers had blighted Stour’s attacking efforts to date, but they got back into the game in the second quarter, thanks to good phased play following a driving lineout. Hughes showed the dummy, step and acceleration of a back, before being driven over by his support.
 
Fellows had a great chance to bring the visitors level after Richardson and Matt Williams countered from deep, but the winger was unable to beat the last man at the end of a sweeping move.
 
This was not costly, as with his team now dominant, captain Hughes soon struck again, when he charged over untouched from a ruck ten metres out. Ali Bressington’s conversion hit both posts, but resolutely refused to drop over the bar.
 
Blaydon were only kept out on the stroke of half time by some determined defence. Despite this, the momentum was with the visitors, as they turned to receive the assistance of the wind.
 
After a quiet third quarter, Fellows was again nailed by the last defender with the line agonisingly close, but Stour were unable to recycle and the chance was gone.
 
Sensing their opponents’ growing anxiety, Blaydon grew in confidence, and their forwards became ascendant.
 
Their top scorers, burly centre pairing Adam Dehaty and Fitzpatrick, had caused problems all day, and it was no surprise when the latter charged over from a set move, ten minutes from time.
 
Armstrong added an important conversion, and after a Richardson inspired long-range attack was held, it was Blaydon who finished the game stronger, pressing unsuccessfully for a fourth try.
 
Blaydon: Armstrong; Barber (M.Dehaty, 28), A.Dehaty, Fitzpatrick, McKenzie; Baggett, Rock; Kalbraier, Graham (Hall, 57), Trethewey (Mackenzie, 70); Wearmouth, Jones; Wilson, Wood, Vinnicombe.
Reps – Pretorius, Green
 
Stourbridge: Williams; Bressington, Billig, Barkley, Fellows; Robinson, Richardson; Sturdy (Homer, 64), Gerry (Collins, 60), Baker; Atkinson, Hughes; Griffiths (Rodley, 9), R.Cooper, Pearson. 
Reps –Hunter-Blair, Watkins.

Referee – Steve Lee   Man of the Match: James Fitzpatrick (Blaydon)