Shrewsbury 3 Vs Stafford 22

It seems a while since I have had the pleasure of writing one of these reports and the lads caused me to write rather a few pages of notes, cheers fellas!

On arrival at Shrewsbury the weather was threatening to add to an already heavy pitch but thankfully it remained dry with very little wind. This was a heavy track (not as heavy as Tamworth I was told) but it certainly isn’t a quick as the AGP.
From kick off Stafford started to set the tone with Leon making a half break, bustling through a couple of tackles but as the forwards looked to continue the forwards push the ball ended up being turned over. The home team with the ball in hand looked to test the Terriers defence, which at the first time of asking (and all match), stood tall and quashed the attack. Stafford were rewarded with a penalty around 6m out from the Shrewsbury line and Stafford were unlucky not to open the scoring as Jake was held up over the line.
From the restart Shrewsbury kicked away and the heavy pitch played its part by keeping the ball in play and a chasing player hacked through and set the Stafford Team back on their heels. Some great tackling by Jude and Harry H prevented the home team from scoring.
Stafford turned the ball over and Leon and Oli made great breaks only for knock ons preventing the terriers from any further territory being made. As the back forth encounter continued Stafford were found guilty of holding on for to long and a penalty gave the home team a great position. But yet again they were repelled by the solid wall of Stafford players and a loose ball was picked up by Jack who suddenly started swatting Shrewsbury players like they were playing for the under 10’s. He then opened his legs and only the Shrewsbury winger tracking back to the halfway prevented the big second row from going in from 70m out. The next few phases of play were played between the two 10m lines as both teams huffed and puffed but failed to gain any real grasp on the game.
It was pleasing that the arm wrestle suddenly broke and Stafford played the ball wide and were soon in the Shrewsbury 22. Leon carried at pace and after the home team gave away a penalty Stafford were in the 5m channel having taken the penalty quickly. Jonah was fastest at the breakdown to recycle the ball which both Alfie and Dex tried in vain to get over the white line but were repelled. The backs were desperate for the ball as the opposition had been sucked in but the forwards wanted one more bite and Alfie went over from short range to open the scoring (0-5).
The game was getting a bit niggardly with Dylan taking some late shots at 9 and after one-to-many confrontations, Dex was yellow carded for foul play.
Shrewsbury kicked to the corner where their lineout again gave them a great platform, but Leon, Oli and Joe all stepped up and made sure the man advantage that the home team possessed would not see them gain any points.
The hard work in defence increased the pressure on both team, one defending with all they had and one trying everywhere which way to score a try, following a penalty at the breakdown, Shrewsbury with time ticking by opted for the posts to close gap to 3-5 as the halftime whistle was sounded.
A slight reshuffle at half time saw Stafford start the second half with big carries in attack and a tough line in defence. Jake, Danail, Oli and Joe all carried well, and Stafford were soon in the Shrewsbury half. The returning Will B, chipped over the try line but the cover defence got there quick enough to touch down. From the ensuing 22, Stafford carried well to the right and as the backs moved the ball left, Harry W came in from full back and was stopped 5 metres out and eventually the ball was turned over, like the first half these opportunities and good positions were stopped by knock ons or counter rucks.
Connor and Jude tried in vain to increase the scoring and despite another turnover, Stafford kept the pressure on after Leon returned a clearing kick with interest. This time the home team conceded a penalty as Dylan (yet again) was hit late and this time the Referee gave the penalty which Will B duly knocked over to increase the lead (3-8).
Stafford were starting to up the gears and Shrewsbury were getting tired from their hard work at the breakdown. A potential Stafford try was stopped from being scored due to handbags involving Jake but Stafford were definitely getting on the front foot.
The home teams job then became harder as their scrum half was yellow carded following foul play.
After Stafford kicked to clear some pressure, Leon chased and tackled the retreating Shrewsbury player to give the Terriers great field position which the team converted after good hands from Connor and Danail, the ball found its way to Finn H on the wing who scored a lovely team try. (3-15 Willl B conv).
From the restart Shrewsbury failed to make the 10 and a scrum on the halfway saw Alfie pick and go and only some good defence stopped Stafford scoring again.
Shrewsbury found some energy and after Stafford conceded a couple of penalties were deep in the Stafford half. Staffords pack repelled the home team and forced them to cross kick. Finn H knocked the ball down , Harry W picked up on his own line and made some yards, Finn quickly recycled and suddenly Stafford went on (I think) a 14 phase waltz down the field, forwards and backs hit short lines at pace, Connor , Oli, Jake and Oscar all making ground and only a penalty stopped the team from scoring a great try, quick thinking saw Stafford continue with a tap and the result was Connor going over to score a well-deserved try and Stafford saw out the game 3-22.
This was a great game for the team to keep gaining some momentum, a physical team challenge in which the opposition were kept from scoring tries, there were battles all over the pitch which all 20 players stood up to.
This will not have done us any harm as we head for the Semi final in February (oh and Tour).
Of note it was great to see Oscar in the centres finding his feet and adding some oompf to the back line. The forwards fronted up and won a real scrap in hard conditions, with both Danail and Tyler impressing and the backs finished off some opportunities when they arose. Don’t get me wrong there is much to work on, but this is a great platform as we continue into the new year.
Thoughts of the day, Shrewsbury is a proper old rugby club, potholes on the car park that you don’t know whether they are 20cm or 1 metre deep, all grass pitches that in the winter are playable but certainly even things out on the pitch, for spectators it certainly worthy of wellies and although at times the home team push the boundaries on the pitch are sportsman off it and always give us a good game, but also reminds us of what a fantastic club and facility we have at home.
Man of the Match in the forwards was Jack who had a big game and for those NFL fans reminded me of Derrick Henry fending off cornerbacks (google if you enjoy that kind of thing) and for the backs Dylan whose ribs am sure will be aching after taking numerous late hits but kept going, never rose to the bait and did his job well in poor conditions.