Sat 21 Dec 2024
This week Stratford travelled away on the long and winding roads to Ludlow, and they got the game started playing toward the castle on a generally overcast and windy day. A sluggish start saw them having to work hard in defence for the first 10 minutes of the game, frustrating the Ludlow attack on a number of occasions meant that when they got a penalty in centre field, Ludlow went for the three points. Though failing with the kick at goal attempt Ludlow did get the first try of the game, turning the ball over at the back of a Stratford scrum, they moved the ball left and attacked towards the corner with multiple phases tying in defenders. After a gap wide enough for a Ludlow back allowed one to slip between defenders and score 10 m the left of the posts, the fly half converted, and Ludlow were leading 7-0.
Stratford had a few bright attacks generally carrying the ball hard and pushing Ludlow back, unfortunately too many of them ended with the ball being turned over and ruining the momentum they were trying to build. It was not only this that was stopping them though, but continued infringements from Ludlow, with one resulting in a Stratford penalty 30 m out in front of the posts and a Ludlow man sent to the bin for a tip tackle. Centre Dan Whitby slotted the ball through the posts, to make it 7-3, and got Stratford on the board with a good period of play to go to try and score more.
Stratford put the pressure on and attacked with phase after phase of big ball carries from Tom Stanley, Zak Amond and Will Dobbin alike, testing the Ludlow defence and pinning them back in their own 22. This pressure allowed a good chance in the far-left corner, but the final pass didn’t quite work out with the attacking line being too flat and the ball going to ground and dribbling out of play before the referee brought it back for another Stratford penalty.
The next Ludlow transgression saw the sin bin replacement prop also sent to the bin with two- or three-minutes overlap with the first, this became a real crucial time for Stratford to get points. The Stratford pack duly delivered and marched Ludlow back over their own line from a 5 m scrum allowing no 8 Angus Wightman to get the try. Whitby added the extra two from a tight angle and Stratford taking the lead 7-8, was the final action of the first half.
Ludlow got the game restarted and went on the attack, a fumbled highball clearance kick from a ruck allowed them to make their way to the 22 and continue their attacking phases. Though they appeared to be in control at this point, when Stratford managed to turn over a ruck metres from their try line in the corner, a long-kicked clearance by full-back Jo Cook gave Stratford a chance to move forward. When Ludlow gathered the ball and went to spread it to the left, a loose pass bounced and Stratford winger Andy Oliver pounced, rounding his opposite man, and running in from the halfway line untouched. Whitby converted once again, and Stratford now led 7-15.
Despite the forward packs dominating possession it was the Stratford backs who appeared more likely to score with outside centre Chris Bolton going close in the corner, though I’m sure many would argue the space was opened up for them by the forwards. Ludlow were back to 15 by the time Stratford actually got another score with full-back Cook scything through the Ludlow defenders and setting up winger Oliver for his second of the day. Having come on as a substitute in his first action after long-term injury, Charlie Powell collected a clearing Ludlow kick and set Cook away, with a clever step off his right Cook made it to the 22 before a simple pass to the right created the score. Another successful Whitby conversion saw Stratford stretch their lead to 7-22.
With a lot of work to do, Ludlow started to gain some ascendancy, eventually working an opportunity to score in the left corner with miscommunication in the Stratford defensive line leaving a choice of try scorers despite winger Oliver’s desperate attempts to stop them. Oliver was then withdrawn from the field, a result of a loose boot to the back of the head ruining any hopes of a hat-trick on the day. Things got worse shortly after flanker Sam James was sent to the bin despite captain Stanley’s attempt to persuade the referee otherwise.
At one point Ludlow looked destined to score between the posts but Whitby miraculously robbed the ball from the attacker’s grasp and the next ruck allowed fly half Gwilym Davis to clear the lines for what must have felt like the hundredth time. Shortly after this, Stratford were down to 13 men when hooker Ben Cole was also sent to the bin and Stratford’s lead started to look fragile at best, knowing Ludlow were building into a nice attacking rhythm.
Ludlow got one back in the next attacking phase, securing their lineout on the Stratford five they built to the right, and created an overlap on the far side leaving the defenders helpless to prevent the score. Missed conversions allowed Stratford some breathing room, as this try left the score at 17-22 and with 10 minutes on the clock, Stratford needed to dig in deep to make it through this testing period.
Stratford’s Christmas spirit was truly dented when following a penalty scrum under the posts, Ludlow were able to spin the ball right and tie the game with a conversion to come. The extras were missed again, so now it was all to play for and with the return of flanker James, the defence looked a little bit more robust. Stratford had a brief attack at the end of the game but were unable to pinch the win with only minutes left after the reintroduction of Stratford’s 15th man. Stratford were on the attack and made it to the 22 before a Ludlow clearance into touch prompted the referee to end the match.
Though feeling they may have missed out on four points, Stratford had two in hand and a long coach journey home to the plot a hopeful 2025 climb up the league table. Sadly, they will have to do this without Will Dobbin for whom this was his final match for Stratford having done so well throughout the year. Though some’s idea of a nightmare, he was happy to add a coach trip home to his list of experiences during a whirlwind 2024 in the northern hemisphere.
Stratford: 1. Michael Dawes, 2. Ben Cole, 3. Tom Stanley (C), 4. Will Dobbin, 5. Zak Amond, 6. Sam James, 7. Jamie Jones, 8. Angus Wightman, 9. Jake Lowe, 10. Gwilym Davis, 11. George Fox, 12. Dan Whitby (VC), 13. Chris Bolton, 14. Andy Oliver, 15. Jo Cook. Subs: 16. Geoff Dyson, 17. Zak Hamersley, 18. Charlie Powell.
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