Ben bags the points for Caldy to stay top

CALDY remain top of the league after a hard-fought win orchestrated by replacement full-back Ben Jones.

With defences on top there was scant attacking play to thrill the spectators but enough shuddering challenges to compile a big hits video with bone jarring tackles by Caldy’s Ted Stagg, Jack Collister and Tom Sanders being the pick of the crop.

Stourbridge’s director of rugby Neil Mitchell acknowledged the tightness of the encounter and was particularly frustrated with Stour’s second-half performance.

He said: “Caldy were probably the best scrummaging side we have come across this season and we aimed to contain and consolidate in the first half.

“Going in at the break 3-0 up we were confident we could attack and get the win in the second period but we just didn’t respect the ball enough.

“In the end we are relieved to pick up a losing bonus point with the last kick of the game.

“We have picked up losing bonus points away to Sedgley, Sale and now Caldy.

“They have all got to come to us and we will look to deny them points when they visit Stourton Park. This season has a long way to go.”

After a sterile first half with a Luke White penalty being the only score, the match started more brightly after the break.

An early break by Forbes Edward caught out the Stourbridge defence and with space in behind the centre chipped through for Jones to use his pace to outstrip the cover and score the only try awarded in the game.

The sparkling Jones should have had another minutes later when he again outstripped the defence to touch down but the unsighted officials declined to award the score. Eventually two penalties by the increasingly confident Jones took the home side into an 11 -3 lead.

Stourbridge threw everything at Caldy in the final ten minutes but with a penalty from the boot of Chris Scott being cancelled out by a further penalty by Jones, it took until the final play of the game for Stourbridge to record the losing bonus point with another Scott penalty.

This wasn’t a classic. The anxiety of both sides contributed to a flurry of unforced errors and lost scoring opportunities but both sides will feel they got something out of the game.

Caldy’s head coach Simon Verbickas credited the win to a number of factors.

He said: “Stourbridge are a strong scrummaging side and we knew we had to match them up front.

“I felt we were on top in the scrums and this denied them a platform to attack. Our defence was exceptional.

“There was never going to be much in it.

“At times we took a few wrong options in attack but not for the first time Ben Jones’s pace and kicking ability has got us the win.

“We are pleased to be still at the top of the table and we look forward to another tough battle next week against Leicester Lions.”