1st XV 32 - 12 Westcombe Park

Result:   Stourbridge 32 Westcombe Park 12

Half-Time:    Stourbridge 13 Westcombe Park 7 

Teams:

Stourbridge:

Petty, Bressington, Billig, Eastwood (Cook) Hall, Robinson (White) Richardson, Sturdy (Olver)  Rowlands (Page) Tideswell (Olver) Homer, Muldowney, Knight, Jordan, Jenner.

Wesrcombe Park:

Naden, Greenaway, Slade, Damant, Campion, Whittingham, Walsh (Du Toit) Croall, Sole (Threlfell) Weston (Mckinnell)  Preocanin, Hardcastle, Lonergan (Olivier) Lindfield, Hayman.

Scorers:

Stourbridge: - Tries (4): White, Hall, Billig, Rowlands. Con: Bressington 3. Pen: Bressington  2.

Westcombe Park: - Tries (2): Lindfield, Greenaway. Con: Whittingham 1 . Pen:  None.  

Match Report.

A good crowd saw Stourbridge overcame adversity to beat Westcombe Park 32-12 at home on Saturday.  In the first minute of the game Stourbridge were attacking the visitors 22 when Stourbridge centre, Mark (Barney) Eastwood, and Stourbridge fly half, Sam Robinson, collided with each other. The impact point of the collision appeared to be leg to leg, with both players left prostrate and in considerable pain. It was immediately obvious both were seriously injured and it was almost ten minutes before they could be stretchered off and eventually taken to hospital. The incident led to a reshuffle of the Stourbridge line up, Petty moving to number ten as Cook came on at fullback and White coming on at number eight, to allow Jenner to move to centre. 

Despite their concern for their stricken team mates and the unsettling nature of the reshuffle  Stourbridge dominated possession and territory for most of the first half. Five minutes after the restart Cook made excellent use of the wind to launch a kick deep into Westcombe Park territory. The visitors made a hash of the line out and Duncan White recovered the loose ball to go over for Stour’s first score. Ally Bressington converted and added a penalty to give his side a 10-0 advantage. Although Stourbridge continued to dominate, the fast Westcombe Park backs always looked a threat, but they were let down by a number of handling errors. With the game approaching first half injury time a Stourbridge defensive blunder allowed the visitors a simple score following a charged down kick.  Despite Westcombe Park gaining the upper hand during the lengthy period of injury time it was Stourbridge who added to the scoreboard, courtesy of a penalty, to bring up a slender 13-7 half time lead.

During the first ten minutes of the second half the signs were looking ominous for the home side with Westcombe Park starting strongly and using the swirling wind to pin Stourbridge in their own 22.  Stourbridge put on a good defensive show, forcing several turnovers they weathered the storm, thus protecting their lead.  They began to play the type of rugby the weather demanded with the pack reasserting themselves and controlling possession. The match turned decisively in their favour around the 55 minute mark. Strong carries by Jordan and Tideswell led to Petty feeding an excellent one handed, overhead pass, to Jon Hall, allowing the winger to cut inside to score. Two minutes later a high kick by Petty was caught on the bounce by Billig, he outpaced the chasing defenders to race 50 metres and score under the posts. With boths tries being converted Stourbridge suddenly had a twenty point advantage.

Westcombe Park still looked dangerous and they pulled back a try five minutes later, the referee consulting his touch judge before awarding a score to winger Sam Greenaway. However, It was a measure of the homes side’s confidence and control when they elected to kick a 70^thminute penalty to touch, leading to a line out ten metres from the visitors line. The Stourbridge catch and drive ended with Rowlands going over for the bonus point try and a 32-12 victory.

This well earned victory, in difficult circumstances, put the Stourbridge promotion drive back on track, after the wobble against Wharfedale, and the derailment at Blaydon.  With both Otley and Manchester recording bonus point wins there was no change in the top three. Blackheath are just about clinging onto the fringes of the promotion race but the reality appears to be a three horse race for the two promotion spots.  Next Saturday Stourbridge travel to relegation threatened Halifax. After the Blaydon result we can be sure there will be no room for complacency.