Sat 12 Mar 2022
Stocksbridge Rugby impress in defeat’
League leaders & title favourites Thirsk Rugby rolled into Coal Pit Lane at the weekend looking to complete a play off double against struggling Stocksbridge Rugby, but they were met by a resolute & determined home side, who continue to improve, & the visitors were made to work hard before eventually gaining a 35pts to 18pts victory.
Globe Holidays sponsored Stocksbridge Rugby were hampered by some late call offs & unavailability’s due to work commitments & injuries robbed the side of clock tower Andrew Beal, big rig Liam Roebuck ,prop Gary Woodcock & hooker Mikey Hartley. Slammin Sam Whitaker returned to lock & the jet heeled Ryan Smith started at full back. Scott Bowskill replaced Jack Spencer at fly half & there were recalls too for Jonathan Gill & whippet Callum Green.
Stocksbridge took an early lead when Bowskill, kindly sponsored by K&K Decorators, landed a simple penalty for a high tackle, but the visitors hit back with a try from their tricky fly half, who was a thorn in the side for Stocksbridge all afternoon. Bowskill added another penalty for a similar offence, before he was hampered by a leg injury. Whilst the home side dominated the set piece, the visitors pounced on every error & scored 3 more tries before the break to leave the half time score – Stocksbridge Rugby 6pts – Thirsk Rugby 28pts.
With a bare bench & a further score for the visitors early in the 2nd stanza, the game was beginning to run away from Stocksbridge however, the continued improvement in this team, particularly in attitude & total effort ensured there would be no further tries conceded. The impressive Jordan Fletcher & Benjamin Tyers rocked the visitors with some shuddering hits, & from a turnover ball, that man Frith sent Pete Newton away into a gap to cleverly draw the full back with Ricky James, kindly sponsored by wilson construction, supporting to cross the white wash, with Adam Frith, sponsored by Mr B Mills, able to convert. More joy for the home spectators to celebrate when a scrum heel set up a pick & go drive for the hard working Ricky Brendan Rowett to make good metres, & James was again ‘Ricky on the spot’ to pick up & plunge over in the corner for another Stockbridge score. The visitors were clearly shaken & had 2 players receive yellow cards & a 10 minute sin binning for a deliberate knock-on & a professional foul when Stocksbridge looked threatening again. Another late & high hit on livewire scrum half Frith should have resulted in a 3rd yellow card, however the official saw it differently. Despite their best efforts, the gallant Stocksbridge team just ran out of time & steam, to leave the final score – Stocksbridge Rugby 18pts – Thirsk Rugby 35pts.
The Goodlad Contracting Man of the Match award went to Ricky ‘Rooney’ James for his brace of tries, accurate line out throwing & 3 big turnovers, Newton, Rowett, Bowskill & Ben Tyers all performed well in a creditable all round team effort. Reflecting on the performance, skipper Adam David Roles-Middlehurst was full of praise for his charges ‘ really pleased with the effort & attitude of all the team, & this is another game we could have won with our set piece dominance’ before adding ‘a full bench would have made a big difference, but we remain confident of our progression & improvement’.
Stocksbridge make the trip to Leeds this weekend to meet with Leeds Medics & Dentists in the next round of the Yorkshire Division 4 Premiership play off series, before entertaining Nestle Rowntree at Coal Pit Lane on 26th March, with a 3pm kick off.
