STOURBRIDGE RFC skipper Ben Hughes has called on his struggling side to put in a vastly improved performance when they host Wharfedale on Saturday (kick-off 3pm).

The Stourton Park outfit were beaten 19-10 at Blaydon last weekend, their second defeat on the spin and fifth loss in six games.

Stour have slipped to 13th in the National One standings and a return to home territory, the scene of a number of excellent pre-Christmas displays, will offer some immediate comfort.

But sixth placed Wharfedale are formidable opponents, who claimed an emphatic 31-16 triumph over Stour earlier this term.

The North Yorkshire based club, historically noted for its hospitality and scenic beauty, as much as the quality of its rugby, enjoyed a six match unbeaten run at the start of the season.

Although their form has been less consistent since, they claimed an impressive win at Redruth three weeks ago and over the last fortnight have kept runaway league leaders Esher and London Scottish well within the bounds of respectability.

So Hughes knows his team must be on their game to get the win that will put their season back on track.

He said: “Wharfedale have a hard and direct style, and on the back of their good year, they will arrive at Stourton expecting to win.

“We need to build on the positives from last week, and prove to our supporters and ourselves that we are much better than the league table suggests.”

Two touchdowns from Hughes, were scant consolation for Stour as they suffered a second half collapse at Blaydon.

Stourbridge, six-try victors over Blaydon earlier in the season, paid the price for some ineffective tackling and poor tactical kicking during a wind-assisted second half.

Although they wasted three good scoring opportunities, Stour still looked likely winners at the hour mark, after Hughes’ heroics dragged back an early 12-0 deficit.

But their inability to get ahead of a battling Blaydon side, saw momentum gradually shift. The home side then dominated the last 15 minutes, during which centre and man of the match James Fitzpatrick barged over for a match-clinching converted try.

Hughes said: “There were some positives, and we certainly made a step forward from the previous two away games, but we are still not playing the rugby of which we are capable.

“The scrummage was good for an hour, and loose head prop Adam Sturdy, who was returning from injury, had a really effective game.

“But we butchered three clear-cut try scoring opportunities, and made far too many mistakes.

“I will always try to support everyone within the team, but individual errors killed us on Saturday, and that is very hard to deal with as a captain.”

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