Sat 3 Feb 2024
Venue: Mayo Road, Saturday February 3, 2024
Stratford started on top, gathering the ball from their own kick-off, but were unable to break through a well organised Shipston defence, they were given an early penalty after two advantages. Sadly, Dan Whitby put the penalty left of the post from just outside the 22.
Stratford continued in the same vein and kicked to the corner after another penalty was awarded, Shipston forced an error from the lineout drive and got a scrum on their own 5 m line. From the clearance Stratford came back at them once more, but the ball was knocked on 22 at the other side of the pitch. Shipston’s first possession of the ball outside of their own half was not until around the 20-minute mark, a good indicator of the pressures that Stratford were applying.
After a short game of kick tennis, Shipston were back on their own 22, once Stratford regained the ball, they push on again going from East to West and eventually Charlie Powell broke through the line for the first score of the game, after 30 minutes of attack, converted by Dan Whitby.
In the first half, Shipston’s periods of possession were few and far between, though they did make it into the Stratford half and gained a penalty left of the posts on the 22. A missed opportunity to start the scoring, which came bouncing back off the post into the grateful arms of lock Zak Amond.
At the half-time whistle, Stratford had had majority of the possession and dominated the penalty count but, crucially, the score was still only 0-7.
Shipston now had the slope as an advantage and quickly showed Stratford what to do with it. A decisive break followed by phase after phase of pick and goes saw them score within minutes of recovering their own restart, 7-7.
Ten minutes into the half, a triple substitution by Stratford failed to have the desired effect, as the line-out was over-thrown and Shipston ended up with the ball, breaking through the line, requiring winger Jacob Kinnaird to track the man down and stop him scoring in the corner. However, Shipston spread the ball to the blind side and scored nonetheless, 12-7.
After the restart Shipston received a yellow for a dangerous tip tackle, leading to a period of Stratford possession and pressure. Soon after, Shipston received another yellow card for being consistently offside in the red zone, the offender joining his teammate for a 4 min overlap on the bench. Stratford did cross the line once, but the referee decided it was knocked-on on in the act of scoring.
With the storm weathered, Shipston’s 10 chipped over Stratford’s centre pair and Shipston regained possession with a nice bounce of the ball for, Player of the match Harry Clarke, who once again ended up being stopped just short of the left corner by Jacob Kinnaird.
Not long after this, Stratford back row Sam James saw yellow for Stratford’s continued questioning of the referee, the unlucky recipient of what’s normally considered a ‘Team Yellow card’. Shipston capitalised, and three or four phases later, scored a carbon copy of their first try, flopping over from a tight running line, just to the right of the ruck, 17-7 after the conversion attempt, from 5 m right of the centre, clipped off the right post.
The home team managed one more try, five minutes before the end, right under the posts and the conversion made it 24-7. Their victory the result of strong defence stopping many aggressive carries even when down to 13. They were helped by a wasteful Stratford attack that made questionable decisions when they had a strong numerical advantage.
Stratford will hope to exact their revenge when the two teams meet in honour of Phil Salt, a well-loved advocate of both clubs who sadly passed away from bowel cancer, at the end of the league season.
Stratford’s 2nd XV used all the experience and wisdom of old head’s Flo Vialan, David Pritchard and Neil Truscott, combined with the youthful exuberance of many of the colts team that have now turn 17 to beat Trinity Guild 0-59.
Next week the 2nd XV have a rest, while the 1st XV look to bounce back in the twice rearrange fixture against distant rivals Ludlow.
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