Joy for Enville (From Dudley News)

Joy for Enville

7:28pm Tuesday 28th November 2006

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Stourbridge 7 Henley 17 Stour were left hoping their match, which was severely under threat due to heavy overnight, would have been postponed after all following a disappointing defeat to Henley.

Ground staff at Stourton Park worked over time to ensure the match went ahead but it was all to no avail as Stour's scintillating form came to a mucky end in the mud.

Stourbridge were forced into serious re-organisation in their starting line-up as a result of Sam Robinson's double injury blow which resulted in Matt Williams from full back to fly half and a debut for James Lloyd-Jones in his place plus the loss of hooker Rob Merritt due to illness on the morning of the game.

Henley dominated the first half of the game and acclimatized to the mud bath alot quicker than Stourbridge who had difficulty in gaining sufficient ball in the conditions to play their expansive running game.

The visitors took the lead after 12 minutes when the home defensive line failed to pick up the running line of Chris Simmons who strolled over the line after a badly missed tackle in midfield -Mitch Burton converted to leave the score 7-0 .

Henley doubled the lead after half an hour with a five metre line-out catch and drive with the try being credited to their captain Liam Wordley - Burton again converted to leave them 14-0 down.

Stour who could not find any rhythm were given an ideal opportunity to get points on the board when they were handed a penalty but the dependable Ally Bressington summed up the teams first half performance by missing the kick.

Both teams and the referee emerged with new strips on for the second period - poor old kit man- and Stourbridge's change to red seemed to have a positive impact with them scoring a deserved try after 15 minutes when centre Marcus Cook was on hand to benefit from a fine midfield break by Mark Eastwood and scored to the left of the posts-Bressington converted and Stour were back in it at 7-14.

The joy was short lived however when two minutes later Henley extended the lead to 10 points with a Burton penalty and this was to prove the last score.

Stour provided plenty of huff and puff for the remainder of the game but it was evident why Henley had the best defence in the league has they soaked up attack after attack.

Stourbridge however did not help themselves as their desperation to break the line and close the defecit led to numerous handling errors.

The closet they came to putting some more points on the board came when Williams intercepted a Henley pass and looked to be clear but was floored with a thunderous tackle.

To their credit they would not throw in the towel and on the stroke of time they laid siege on the visitors line in a bid for a bonus point but it was not be on this occasion.

Teams: Stourbridge: Lloyd-Jones, Bressington, Cook, Eastwood, Hall, Williams, Richardson, Sturdy (Hartland), Gerry, Tideswell, Walton, Homer (Muldowney), Witcomb (Dean), Jordan, Jenner. Sub not used: Porteous.

Henley: Farndon, Gill, Loubser, Dunckley (Reeves), Simmons (Wood), Burton, Gaunt, Le Chevalier, Wordley, French (Hadfield), Winterbottom, Hurrell, Tenconi, Williams, Archer (Payne).

Scorers: Stourbridge: Try: Cook. Con: Bressington.

Henley: Tries: Simmons, Wordley. Cons: Burton (2). Pen: Burton.

H/T: 0-14.

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