Stanley Rodillians 16 Stocksbridge 30

Back off a 2 week break, Stocksbridge showed all their old failings, but also all their old strengths. These were enough to get the win, but the team is not improving and is not playing as well as last year. They are missing players but selection flaws in playing people out of position are contributing to the malaise.

Bridge opened the scoring with a penalty from wide out from man of the match Scot Bowskill after Rods were penalised for coming offside in a ruck. Then from an innocuous scrum in the middle of the field, Rods broke through a none existent back row defence and Scott dived in between the posts. A gift of 5pts, but Bridge spurning chances to run any penalties, turned again to the reliable Bowskill boot to lead by a point. This should have led to greater things but with some of the forwards, forgetting the basic rules of good rucking and mauling, body position and driving forward not pulling back, stalemate resulted. Captain Rhys Keenan was put through from a maul, but on hitting the last defender the pass went behind Sam Whittaker with the line at his mercy. At last the threequarters came into the game and the ball moved to Ben Senior he scored, Bowskill adding the conversion. Then a double sending off, for a bit of handbags, brought both teams down to fourteen and although it was a Rods prop, their scrum seemed to get stronger. In the loose the visitors were dominant, but chose to run back inside, with sometimes an overlap of 2 or 3 men. The ball was eventually moved to Senior, with an overlap outside, but he hit the last defender, came down, but managed to crawl over, leaving half time 20-5 to the visitors.

The second half opened with Bridge pressure, but the relieving kick went down in the centres and Rodillians kicked on and on for a try out of the comedy sketch book. Ricky Christoffersen and then Joe Jones showed up well, before No8 Ray Waller broke clean through but the ball went to ground as Stocksbridge fought well. There were however too many mistakes and these kept the home side in the game. The scrum began to disintegrate and from one of these in front of the posts, Mullock for the home side reduced the arrears with a penalty. A magnificent touch line penalty from Bowskill restored the advantage, but Rods nibbled back after the 2nd row were caught holding onto the tackler in front of the posts.
The final score belonged to Stocksbridge as sub Liam O’Leary, slipped a pass out of the tackle and winger Dave Potts made his way the 40 metres to the line without a defender in sight. Top of the table and with so much potential, lets hope it‘s not frittered away.

Man of the Match – Scot Bowskill.
Next match – 13th October 2012 – Away at Beverley (Friendly)