Stourbridge RFC 32 - 17 Huddersfield RFC

THE hosts started well and dominated possession but were unable to capitalise and the first ten minutes were punctuated by a series of handling errors and penalties.

The breeze defeated Haisila’s fifth minute penalty attempt after referee Harry Walbaum lost patience with some offside encroachments.

The visitors had occasional attacking opportunities and a notable break through the middle was thwarted when Man of the Match, Charlie Jeavons-Fellows closed in on a tackle and was rewarded with a penalty.

Stour got the scoreboard ticking over after 13 minutes with a Ben Tibbetts try converted by Afeafe Haisila.

The hosts' forwards continued to dominate but the backs could not find a way through and Huddersfield hit back with a 60 metre break from left winger Brandon Conway which was ended with a tackle by Stour's Dan Rundle assisted by the impressive Charlie Jeavons-Fellows.

From the ruck Huddersfield's blindside flanker Ben Morrill crashed over and Joel Hinchcliffe slotted over the extras.

The scores were tied at 7-7 and handling errors plus poor discipline by both teams meant neither was able to add more points before half time.

Stour had the wind at their back for the second half and took full advantage with a Haisila penalty on 42 minutes.

This was the catalyst to a game changing period of twenty minutes where Stour mastered the conditions to put forward some huge kicks while their previously disjointed three quarters now went up several gears.

Huddersfield lost possession at a scrum and Rundle and Joe Heatley combined to put Alex Hearle through to score in the corner.

Heatlry and Rundle combined again after an interception to feed Haisila who charged from inside his own half to collect a try and he then added the extras.

Heatley scored the Bonus Point try on 56 minutes and this was his eighth of the season after breaking from halfway.

The ever-reliable Nigel Mukarati added another try four minutes later after a catch and drive move following a line-out.

Stour looked set for a rout but Huddersfield pegged them back with strong running and slick interchanges between forwards and backs and added two consolation tries.

Stourbridge visit Leicester Lions on Saturday.