Match report courtesy of Tony Millard
The 38 -7 victory keeps the Blues top of the Saracen’s Herts and Middlesex Junior League 2.
Stortford dominated proceedings from the kick off on a clear but cold day at Silver Leys. An under pressure Ruislip defence were forced to kick for touch after strong play by Louis Henchie and William Heywood. Hooker, Adam Millard found Adam Mehmet at the line out, the prop forward crashing over for his first try of the season.
The Blues soon extended their lead. Once again the move started from good line out ball. Matthew Precious picked up the ball at the tail of the line, driving into the Ruislip 22. Forwards Bailey Albert, Louis Winfield and David Townsend secured the ball, allowing scrum half Jake Gleed to set up Ioan Parry who scored between the posts. Scott Mitchell coolly added the conversion to take the score to 12-0.
Ruislip thought they had a foothold in the game when their pacey winger scored a solo converted try to reduce the arrears to 5 points only for Stortford to score again on the stroke of half time. Full back Freddie Barnett safely took a defensive catch to set the Blues on their way. Captain Joe Radley broke from midfield, exchanging passes with an overlapping Matthew Precious who duly scored in the corner to make the score 17 -7.
Substitutes Sam Richardson and Josh Walker were brought on to bolster an increasingly dominant Bishop’s Stortford pack. The Blues forwards again won possession in midfield allowing Scott Mitchell and Rhys Williams to smartly release Ioan Parry for his second. Another conversion took the lead to 24 – 7.
It was a day of impressive handling by Stortford. Slick offloads by Scott Mitchell and a rampaging Adam Mehmet set Max Venville away to score. Another conversion made it 31 – 7.
The Blues were not finished and capped an excellent display with a team try. Max Potts picked up on the right wing, cutting into the heart of the Ruislip defence. With possession once again safely secured by the forwards, the ball was moved quickly through the hands of the backs leaving left wing Ollie Stevenson to score in the opposite corner. Final score Bishop’s Stortford A 38 Ruislip 7.