Sat 19 Oct 2024
Malvern took the kick off, and after the opening stages of the game resulted in a scrum for Stratford in their 22, 10 m from touch, Stratford won the scrum with relatively ease. No. 8 Jack Young picked from the back and went inside, setting up for a standard goal-line clearance kick. With fly half Nathan Geekie and the backs running up to ensure no penalty was awarded for the newly introduced Dupont law, the Malvern 15 realised there was nobody behind the dispersing Stratford pack and chipped over, managing to beat Stratford tighthead Michael Dawes, who was on the turn, to the ball and touch it down before it rolled over the dead ball line.
Having given Malvern a head-start just five minutes in, Stratford now had the challenge of working their way back into the game and a 10-minute period of alternating attack and defence from both teams ensued, most of his generally coming to a stop due to a sloppy pass or a ruck turnover.
Stratford did manage to get the next try of the game, with a Stratford scrum feed in their own half, barely outside the 22 on the right-hand side, no. 8 Young picked and went down the blindside before sucking in the scrum half and winger and setting Andy Oliver away. Oliver made it to the Malvern 22 before popping back inside to Young who had followed up, Stratford kept the pressure on at this point and work their way across the field, now only 5 m out. Moving the ball back the opposite way, with quick passing they finally found space for a dart at the line in the corner which looked to be subdued before a pop off to powerful lock James Walton who was able to crash over the line, 5-5 with the conversion narrowly wide.
10 minutes later Malvern found themselves just outside the Stratford 22 scrum, and despite Stratford’s scrum dominance, the referee was of the opinion that they were wheeling it themselves. With Malvern able to get the ball out of the reset scrum despite it spinning again, they went on the attack. Sadly, this ended with a penalty to them just right posts with the referee citing the Stratford forwards for going straight to ground over the tackled player. Malvern were successful with the kick to make it 8-5 after roughly 30 minutes. The game petered out to half-time, with a couple of kicks, following a Malvern knock-on, almost seeing Stratford score, but the bounce of the ball eluded them.
Stratford got the second half underway with hopes of preventing it starting in a similar fashion to the first. Now it only took a few minutes longer, Stratford scored the first of the second half, having worked their way to the Malvern 22 via a scrum penalty and breakdown penalty. From a successful lineout driving maul the forwards proceeded to push on into the 22 before working their way across to the right, winger Oliver almost made in the corner but when attempting to throw the ball back inside Malvern knocked on, giving Stratford a scrum 5 m out. In no time at all, Malvern were back defending in the opposite corner but were powerless to stop inside centre Gwilym Davis getting a try on the board. However, he was unable to convert, but at least now Stratford led 8-10.
With the game on a knife edge and both teams desperate for what would be only their second win of the season, both managers were clearly frustrated with the week’s plans not being effectively put in to action. Malvern got the upper hand when Ben Cole saw yellow 15 minutes in, after an accidental clash of heads resulted in the Malvern player going off to be assessed, though it appeared to be just a cut. In a stroke of good fortune though, vice-captain Dan Whitby made his first appearance of the season as a substitute not long before that, having been injured in pre-season. Though a man down, Stratford, managed to get themselves a penalty three minutes later, and Whitby converted it for his first points of the season, 8-13.
Malvern made the most of the man advantage scoring twice before Cole returned to the pitch, a promising Stratford attack ended on the Malvern 22 with a knock-on and Malvern built from there. A pick and go from their no. 8 on a wide arc got them into the Stratford half, and after a knockdown so
Stratford fearing another man being put in the bin, Malvern spread the ball back the other way and following a slip from winger Oliver on the wet ground, the Malvern 13 beat the last man and scored 10 m in from the left corner, with the conversion it was a 15-13. The final action of the sin bin period was Malvern almost pushing over a 5 m scrum in the right-hand corner and Stratford being penalised for bringing it down. Malvern took a quick tap and spread the ball left making the extra man count and scoring 15 m to the left of the posts, missing the conversion on the second try left the at 20-13.
With no doubt what was needed from the restart, Stratford went on the attack led by captain Tom Stanley busting through a hole on the Malvern 10 m line thanks nicely timed flat pass. Malvern did win the ball back on the 22, but they didn’t have it for long and Stratford pressed on with eventual Player of the Match Will Dobbin rumbling his way into the Malvern 22 with multiple defenders left in his wake. Three or four carries later and Stanley grounded the ball just outside the left 15 m line, Whitby added the extras to bring the game level, 20-20.
Moving slowly towards the 80 mark and with both teams desperate for a win, the pressure got to Stratford and Malvern were awarded a penalty just outside the 22 to the right of the posts following a messy ruck as the restart had been allowed to bounce. The referee decided that the Stratford forwards had sealed off the ball. Thankfully on the wrong side for the right footed Malvern kicker, he pulled the kick to the left of the posts, and it remained tied. The missed kick was caught just over the try line and Stratford tried to build from there, not wanting to kick possession immediately back to Malvern, sadly Stratford were penalised for the same thing again a few minutes later just outside the 22, centre-field. Stratford were not let off on this occasion and Malvern took the three points and the match, with Stratford having to settle for a losing bonus point.
Stratford: 1. Michael Dawes, 2. Ben Cole, 3. Tom Stanley (C), 4. Angus Wightman, 5. James Walton, 6. Will Dobbin, 7. Zak Hamersley, 8. Jack Young, 9. Jake Lowe, 10. Nathan Geekie, 11. George Fox, 12. Gwilym Davis, 13. Bron Kitzel, 14. Andy Oliver, 15. Jo Cook. Subs: 16. Craig O’Donnell, 17. Geoff Dyson, 18. Dan Whitby (VC)
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