Bishop's Stortford 1st XV 50 Westcliff 5

Despite their lowly league position, the visitors started the game aggressively and strongly and had Stortford briefly on the back foot. The home side, however, maintained their composure and, after 5 minutes forced their way deep into the Westcliff 22, winning a 5 metre scrum. This produced a strong drive for the line and No 8, Mark McCraith waa able to pick up and drive over for an opening try, which skipper, Tom Coleman had no difficulty in converting. Ten minutes later and the Stortford lead was doubled, when fullback, Sam Winter scored an excellent team try, taking a short pass from winger, Joe Clarke, who had stepped inside two tackles off good quality ball down the line, after the pack had provided strong front foot ball. Coleman again had no problem in converting from close to the posts. Despite a rash of handling errors, on which Westcliff were quick to seize, the home side managed to maintain the upper hand, but stern resistance from the visitors delayed the next score for some 25 minutes. In the meantime, both sides had lost a player to the sin bin, as prop Adam Gelman was yellow carded along with a Westcliff second row, following an off the ball fracas, 36 minutes into the game. The score went to Chris Aldam, on as substitute second row for his brother, Dave, who drove through the last line of defence and reached over the line, after another good thrust by McCraith had been halted inches short. Coleman’s conversion took the halftime score to 21-0.

The next score and, crucially, Stortford’s 4th and bonus point try came after 5 minutes of the restart, when centre, John Stocker cut an excellent angle to burst over under the posts, as the ball was moved quickly along the backs. Coleman’s routine conversion took the lead out to 28 points. The achievement of the targeted bonus-point try, seemed to distract the home side, who appeared suddenly to think that a score could be achieved from every first phase. Westcliff soon put the lie to any such thoughts, as they turned the ball over, when the home side tried to run out of their own 22 and quickly moved the ball to the left for a try close to touch after 10 minutes of the half. It still took another 20 minutes, however, before Stortford were able to string together sufficient phases to stretch the Westcliff defence and allow flanker, Steve Ball to dive over from a short pass for his side’s fifth try. Coleman’s conversion attempt went narrowly wide to leave the score at 33-5. Stortford were now playing more controlled rugby and winger Joe Clarke scored another try after 38 minutes, as he cut a very good angle to take a short pass from McCraith, as he broke wide from the back of another strong home scrum. Coleman’s conversion stretched the lead to 35 points, The home side was now well on top and it took only two minutes for Clarke again to add another try, as he rounded off an excellent passage of interplay with Winter from halfway. Coleman’s conversion attempt from the touchline went narrowly wide. With injury time running out, Winter scored his own second try, following some more good interplay between forwards and backs and a decisive break by flyhalf, Coleman. The skipper’s conversion attempt again flew narrowly wide to leave the final score at 50-5.

Exmouth’s heavy home defeat today by National 3 Southwest leaders, London Irish combines with Stortford’s five point haul to leave both sides on 97 points, so that the venue for the likely play-off match between the two remains in doubt. All to play for, starting with another hard tussle next