Stocksbridge Rugby boarded their Globe Travel sponsored executive team coach with a determination to bring some much needed competition points back to the Valley, & were rewarded for their efforts with a spirited 10 all draw away at Harrogate Pythons.
This re-arranged fixture, played on a crisp afternoon saw two evenly matched teams go toe to toe from the off. The home side started stronger, capitalising on a string of penalties conceded for off side to camp out in the Stocksbridge Rugby red zone.
The visitors defended well, & Frith, Westby & Bowskill all cleared their lines well to keep the Pythons at bay. Stocksbridge Rugby suffered a major set back when fly half & goal kicker Scott Bowskill suffered a trapped nerve & had to be withdrawn, causing a re-shuffle in the Stocksbridge Rugby backline.
Stocksbridge threatened to cut loose, & some desperate home defence, & questionable decisions from the official, clearly not upto the required level of fitness for this fixture, stopped any continuity the visitors were searching for. Centre O'Leary made some telling runs & the bigger home forwards were beginning to tire early on. More penalties followed & Harrogate took advantage with a try in the corner to take the lead, despite Ryan Smith's best efforts to make the tackle. A searing break by the fit again 'Deepcar Express' Kazmierski opened a gap for Westby to send winger Jones away, with only the referee in the whole crowd able to spot & adjudge a forward pass. When play was allowed to flow, the back row of Spencer, Aspin & Brown made their presence felt with some excellent defence & foraging in the loose. Stocksbridge Rugby drew level on 28 minutes when Roebuck won a line out, & fed Frith, who inturn found the eager Westby, now operating at fly half, to put O'Leary clear. As the cover defence closed in, the centre had the vision & the presence of mind to neatly chip ahead for the corner & the on-rushing Ryan Smith won the footrace to score, just too far out for stand in goal kicker Frith to improve. Almost from the restart the visitors hit the front with another superb score, the time 'smiler' Paddy O'Leary dived over from close range after another sweeping handling move involving forwards & backs alike. Stocksbridge sensed the home side were there for the taking, & headed into the break with a 10 pts to 5 lead.
The visitors began the 2nd half with purpose as Ben Brown, Spencer & slammin Sam Whitaker lead a spirited forwards charge at the Pythons' defence, but the penalty count began to grow & grow, giving territory & possession to the home side. The official's own interpretation of the rule book eventually resulted in a yellow card for replacement prop Mike Folliard & further disruption to the visitors scrum ! Stocksbridge Rugby defended manfully for what seemed like an age, & when they looked like regaining possession or halting the Harrogate attacks, the referee was on hand to award yet another penalty.
Inevitably the pressure told & a forwards rumble brought the home side level with their 2nd try of the afternoon, crucially the conversion attempt was fluffed. The plucky visitors had chances of their own, & a kickable penalty just 20 metres out was overturned as scrum half Adam Frith was harshly adjudged to have thrown punches at a clearly offside opponenet, resulting ina further sin bin for the luckless vice Captain. The home team used this momentum & the referees whistle to mount more pressure on the Stocksbridge line, a try saving tackle from Ryan Smith was bettered by an even more thumping hit by Callum Green which prevented a certain score. Perhaps there was some luck for the valiant Piggys when the home side winger took the ball across the line & dropped it as he prepared to celebrate a winning score. Honours even at the end with a creditable 10 all draw for Stocksbridge Rugby despite all the events that had conspired against them. Other results mean Stocksbridge Rugby are now 7th in the league, on the same points & just one place above the next visitors to Coal Pit Lane, Leeds Modernians, kick off is back to 3pm on Saturday, so come & cheers the lads on.
Stand in fly half Ben Westby, sponsored by Mark Logan Gas Services, took the Bradfield Brewery man of the match award for an assured display with pressure from O'Leary, Whitaker & the reliable Tom Spencer again.
Head Coach Andy Tyers remained tight lipped after the game, & the after match comments were left to assistant Mick Shouler "that was a tough game, & we did well to stay in it despite all the disruptions" he said, adding "we showed some character today that has been missing in recent weeks, & we need to build on this for the rest of our season"

A better performance