Leaders lose out to ’Port on home turf
STOCKPORT won at League leaders Burnage in one of only two fixtures to be completed in the Division on Saturday.
Having been well beaten by an impressive Burnage in the fixture at Headlands Road earlier in the season this was a great win by a Stockport side that has now won six and drawn one in 2020.
The turn around shows the benefits of playing a consistently settled side, better fitness and a much improved defence.
With the other fixtures not being played Stockport are now in joint third place but with only two points between seventh and second it is clear that there is going to be a real scrap for position as the season moves towards conclusion in April.
On the day Stockport benefitted from early scores in each half, both by No 8 Simon Green.
With a cross wind making things difficult for both teams, defences needed to be good and opportunities had to be taken.
Burnage suffered by being reduced to 13 men at one point in the second half, with their No 7 being given yellow and their 11 getting red for taking out Stockport fullback Callum Owen as he jumped high to take a kick on half way.
However, the home side always looked dangerous and the Stockport defence needed to be strong, while the forwards set up a number of good attacking positions.
Stockport started well, with an early penalty setting up a position in the Burnage 22, some good driving and an excellent scrum option allowed Green to pick up at the base and run in for a try, wing Dudley Southern converted for a 0-7 lead for the visitors after 10 minutes.
Burnage demonstrated their attacking potential as pace and good offloading got them into the Stockport 22 and they came away with a penalty for 3-7 on 18 minutes.
Southern added a penalty from 30 metres out to keep Stockport ahead – 3-10.
A great attacking run by Owen was stopped in the Burnage 22 before some good handling set up a great position for Stockport but as a pass went loose the Burnage left wing scooped up the ball and ran 60 metres to score as the Stockport players had all been committed to attack and were unable to get back.
Burnage missed the conversion for 8-10 before adding a penalty from 35 metres to make it 11-10 at the break.
A powerful scrum by Stockport won a penalty and a further penalty from the ensuing line out was taken quickly and the Stockport drive allowed Green to go in for his second under the posts, Southern added the extras and with the half only four minutes old Stockport were back ahead at 11-17.
The Burnage yellow and red cards followed and with Owen having to leave the field after being hit while in the air Stockport had to rearrange personnel.
With Burnage two down Stockport created some good pressure and a free kick at a scrum was tapped and Dan Brotherton, returning after nearly a year out got the touch down under the posts.
The Southern kick took the lead to 11-24 as the game entered the final quarter.
Stockport failed to secure the restart and Burnage showed they were still very much in the game and created pressure that resulted in a try from their forwards under the posts to make it 18-24.
A good spell by Stockport, looking for the bonus point try, with patient recycling, good movement of the ball and an impressive run by hooker Paul McGookin resulted in a penalty, which Southern kicked to increase the lead to 18-27.
Burnage then responded with some real pressure as Stockport conceded a number of penalties and with just two minutes left the home side dropped kicked a penalty in front of the posts as they sought time to get another score but the Stockport defence held firm until the final whistle for 21-27, an impressive away win at the league leaders.
Next week is another away fixture at Northwich.