SECOND-HALF SHOW IS CATALYST FOR LONGTON
LONGTON, written off as relegation certs in some quarters not so long ago, beat Old Halesonians 16-12 to breathe further life into their survival cause in Midlands One West.
It’s now two wins out of three, after losing their first 10, and they have clambered up to joint-bottom alongside Malvern.
Their latest success came beneath grey skies, but in front of a faithful audience, and saw them recover from 12-3 down after only boasting a Scott Rawlings penalty for their first-half efforts.
But the second period was only two minutes old when a catch and drive from a fivemetre line-out left skipper Tim Wareham being driven over for 12-8.
Another Rawlings penalty rewarded Longton’s domination of possession and territory for 12-11 before they finally nosed in front for the first time in the 28th minute of the second half.
They had spent a full 10 minutes in the opposition 22 by the time a driving scrum could legitimately claim a grounded ball over the line and it was number eight Pete Wilshaw, again key at the base of his side’s scrum, claiming the try.
The game wasn’t quite won yet, however, as Sam Bedworth and Sam Evans were both yellow carded to leave Longton with 13 men as they entered what transpired to be 12 minutes of overtime before Old Halesonians eventually conceded a penalty that Rawlings gleefully kicked into touch to bring the curtain down on a hardfought, morale-boosting victory. ■ STOKE paid for a first half of near misses but did have the consolation of a debut try for full-back Ben Barnes in their 37-10 defeat at Hereford in Midlands One West.
Stoke trailed 8-0 at the break, but it wasn’t for the want of trying as they frequently came close to a first-half score.
Their catalogue of whatmight-have-beens saw Matt Hubbard stopped short of the line and Chris Rowley then unable to hang on to a pass with the line begging; Tom Austerberry knock on when taking possession at pace a couple of metres out; Tom Sant being held up over the try line; and finally Carl Williams driving over from a scrum but being denied the try when the ref penalised a double movement.
The net result was a 25-0 deficit deep into the second half before Stoke finally opened their account on 73 minutes when Tom Conlon touched down from a lineout catch and drive.
And there was a consolation score late on from new boy Barnes after the ball was shifted wide from several attacking phases to complete the day’s scoring. ■ SANDBACH suffered a painful case of deja vu after drawing 19-19 in Midlands Premier for a second successive week and again conceding a late try in the process.
This time it was honours even at Broadstreet - after holding a seemingly decisive 19-5 lead with just over 10 minutes remaining.
Sandbach conceded the day’s first try before a couple of Mark Bird penalties handed them a 6-5 interval lead on a ground where they have never won.
With the elements in their favour second half, Sandbach nosed in front soon after the restart as James Reilly forced his way over and Bird converted.
Bird then struck a couple of penalties for that 19-5 lead, but with Sandbach losing replacement prop Max Beadle to the sin bin they conceded a converted try in the corner.
Broadstreet were then denied a match-saving try when their man’s foot grazed the touchline, but Sandbach then made a mess of their defensive line-out with two minutes remaining and conceded a converted try anyway to draw a game they were so close to winning. ■ WINGER Harry Jones ran in four tries in a losing cause as NEWCASTLE went down 36-32 at Spartans in Midlands Two West (North).
Newcastle’s first try saw Adam Ridge kick over the home defence for the prolific Jones to catch and score, while their second came via a line-out as centre Ross Westwood broke through the defensive line to feed Jones for his second as the visitors trailed 25-12 at the break.
Luke Gross exchanged penalties with his opposite number for 28-15 before another Spartans try effectively put the game beyond reach at 33-15.
But not before a stirring Newcastle comeback as Sean Kavanagh orchestrated a training-ground lineout move for Dave Bailey to drive over for the try.
And then Jones completed his hat-trick ahead of claiming his fourth try, and with it a losing bonus point for his team, after brother Dan sent him clear. ■ LEEK couldn‘t quite recover from the body blow of conceding three tries during the first half hour of their 28-12 defeat at Tamworth in Midlands Two West (North).
But a fair sprinkling of youngsters demonstrated their ability to play under pressure and on the attack.
Leek, who lost full-back and talisman Jack Newtontaylor with a groin injury in the 21st minute, opened their scoring on 33 minutes when a series of rucks close to the Tamworth line climaxed with the figure of Joel Booth powering his way over for 21-5 by the turnaround.
And it was 21-12 following a bright start to the second 40 in which Kini Buli threatened a try before a couple of rucks later it was youngster Adam Varley going over for a score converted by Sam Hunt.
Leek needed the next score at 21-12 but, despite the best efforts of young flankers Tom Fairhurst and Billy Kid, along with Lewis Dunleavy and Varley, they couldn’t quite make the breakthrough and it was Tamworth scoring a converted try at the death to complete a flattering margin of victory. ■ STAFFORD scored all their points in the first half of their 34-12 home defeat to leaders Ludlow in Midlands Two West (North).
It was a brave showing by the home side as they twice went close through Sam Chatfield and Obi Ley before opening their account.
Taking the scrum option at a penalty, Stafford smashed into the opposition for Gaz O’connor to barge over.
Their second owed much to Dave Wareham intercepting a loose pass and charging upfield before being chopped down, but the cavalry soon arrived and the ball was worked to Chatfield for a try.
That left the game 22-12 at half-time, but injuries emptied Stafford’s bench in the second half and left the remaining 15 battling knocks in a lost cause.