1st XV 22 - 26 Launceston

Stourbridge Saxons 22  Launceston 26  By David Lawrence, Write Angle Media
At times it was fast and furious. At others it was fiesty and fierce. But in the end it was a frustrating afternoon for Neil Mitchell’s side.
Stour had run the Cornishmen close on their trip to Polson Bridge in the autumnal sun back in September.
At the end of that game, talk was of a titanic return match at Stourton Park when home advantage and the return of several key players would hand victory to the boys from the Black Country.
But four months down the line and with key players still on the sidelines, it was a Stourbridge side bereft of match practice against the well-drilled visitors. And while the spark and creativity came from the home side, Launceston stuck to a well-trodden route and drove their way to another slender victory.
Having played twice while Stourbridge have been left out in the cold during a five-week lay-off, the visitors certainly looked a more cohesive unit though the conditions ensured there were plenty of fumbles and missed passes from both sides throughout.
And yet it seemed the key moments went the way of the visitors as they finished the game strongly – running in three tries in the final quarter.
One of these was a penalty from the returning Ali Bressington which looked straightforward enough from in front of the posts only for the former Cinderford kicker to fire wide. Three points then would have edged his side back to within a point of Launceston and put the brakes on their charge to victory.
Five minutes later and replacement prop Andi Lawrence was sent to the sin bin, referee Terry Hall taking a dim view when he shoved his opposite number – one of a series of skirmishes throughout an ill-tempered contest.
It was from the resulting penalty that the visitors drove over for their bonus try and, with just five minutes left on the clock, ended any chances of a Stour triumph.
The story of the first half had been one of ferocious Stourbridge tackling as they kept their fluorescent-clad visitors at bay.
A 35-metre Tom Richardson break was halted in front of the posts by Launceston winger Jason Luff and his decision not to release earned him ten minutes in the sin bin and allowed Bressington to open the scoring with a 23rd minute penalty.
The excellent Chris Tennuci added a try for the home side on 31 minutes, weaving through the visitors’ defence after some slick passing along the backline.
Bressington missed the extras and with Tony Yapp putting a penalty wide soon after, it looked as though it was a job well done at the break.
But with 11 minutes of injury time already played, Stour were penalised at a succession of scrums on their own line giving referee Hall little option but to award the visitors a penalty try which Yapp converted.
Influential skipper Ben Hughes took a knock to the head just before the interval and while replacement Ben Griffiths put on an excellent show, the loss of the captain together with the absence of injured hooker Ben Gerry was another key moment.
That said, it was Stourbridge who started the send period the better and deservedly stretched their lead when back row Mark Evans, making his debut on loan from Moseley, wrestling free from a maul to run in unchallenged. Bressington’s conversion made it 15-7 and the home side were in control.
But five weeks without a game began to take its toll and the Cornishmen seized their chance going into the final stages. A catch and drive from a line-out saw hooker Darren Semmens crash over before Ryan Westren shrugged off some weak tackles before running in a third five minutes later.
The game was still in the balance but with Bressington’s penalty miss and Lawrence in the sin bin, Luff dived in from another rolling maul to wrap up maximum points.
Stour salvaged a losing bonus deep in injury time when a converted penalty try eased them to within four points but, frustratingly, time was not on their side.
Stourbridge: Bressington, Tennuci, Billig, Barkley, Richards, Higgins, Richardson; Sturdy, Keylock, Baker, Hughes, Dean, Cooper, Rodley, Evans. Reps: Collins, Griffiths, Pearson, Robinson, Lawrence.
Launceston: Fabian, Luff, Westren, Roberts, Lewitt, Yapp, Webb; Mathias, Semmens, Baylis, Hilton, Jenkins, Lord, Rawlings, Kimberley. Reps: Pow, Salter, Bolt, Fleming, Perry.
Referee: T Hall
Stour Man of the Match: Chris Tennuci
Launceston Man of the Match: Tony Yapp

see Richie's photos here