Stocksbridge RUFC

Stocksbridge 34 Wensleydale 7

In benign conditions, Stocksbridge were too warm for a willing, but young and inexperienced Wensleydale outfit. Stocksbridge made hard work of it, softening the opposition up in the first half and reaping the rewards in the second.
In the first 10 minutes Dale never got out of their own half, but a mixture of lack of technique, composure and fitness meant that Bridge huffed and puffed but to little effect. Possession was in short supply as the lineout worked only fitfully but the back row trio of Rowett, Aspin and Waller worked hard and the home side slowly turned the screw putting increasing pressure on the visitors.
A loose ball was won in midfield by the excellent Ray Waller and moved quickly to classy centre Ben Senior who strode through to touch down wide out. Scot Bowskill added the conversion and then a penalty for Bridge to nose in front. It wasn’t enough, but then in the dying seconds of the first half Senior bust through again beating three men to score under the posts and the conversion saw them in front 17-0 at the break.

The second half saw Dale tire and Bridge with new faces turned the screw.
The lineout improved and possession began to be recycled. A lineout deep into opposition territory was won and Andy Beal bringing a little maturity to the pack drove it over. Then an aberration in the back line as the ball was dropped and then passed to no one and Jacobs the Wensleydale full back hacked on and won the chase to score. Hunter added the conversion, but this was the limit of Dale’s effort as Bridge showed glimpses of last years form.
Pressure on the visitors line and after being held up short 3 times the ball was moved to back row Peter Newton, in the strange position of centre, who cut back inside to score near the posts. The conversion followed and the bonus point was in the bag.
The fifth try settled matters when a lineout provided possession for the ball to be swung to right wing Callum Green who made the corner. A lot to work on and with the exciting return of Neil Francis to coaching on Wednesdays, the team can only improve. For the time being top of the league will suffice.

Training Now every WEDNESDAY night.

6pm till 7:30pm at the pitch (Coal pit lane)

Old and New faces always welcome