Droitwich 17 - Earlsdon 15

Saturday, 13th November, 2004

Droitwich found some ‘bouncebackability’ on Saturday and in doing so kick-started their season with Matt Blackmore’s first win as skipper.

Droitwich gave starts to Steven Duffield and Romanian prop Radu Dumitrescu in what was to be a thrilling encounter at the Glyn Mitchell memorial ground.

Droitwich started the game brightly with some excellent mauling play by the Droitwich forwards setting up opportunities for the Droitwich back line to put some fine, flowing moves together.

The deadlock would be broken after 10 minutes when, after good work by Gareth Knight, the ball was passed out to Steve Duffield to run the ball in at the corner to give Droitwich a 5 nil lead.

Spa dominated the next 15 minutes of the match with the Droitwich forwards proving too powerful for the Earlsdon pack. Duffield was to go in at the corner again, after good work from Sasha Hobbs and Gareth Knight in the centres, to give Spa a 10 nil lead. Earlsdon would hit back though just before the break with a converted try after some good play by their forward pack.

The second half started with both teams going all out for victory, but it was Droitwich who took the initiative. With 55 minutes played, centre Sasha Hobbs sliced a kick, but hesitancy in the Earlsdon defence allowed winger Steve Duffield to take advantage to score his and Droitwich’s third try of the game. Blackmore converted the try, having missed two previous efforts, to give Droitwich a 17--7 lead.

Earlsdon were not finished though, and bounced back with a try moments after Droitwich scrum half Gareth Cogan was taken from the field of play with bad concussion. Cogan was replaced by energetic prop-forward Ben Thomas, who came on in a re-jigged Droitwich side to account for the departure of Cogan.

Earlsdon were then awarded a penalty in front of the posts and reduced the deficit to just two points. Earlsdon should have gone on to win the game having had two penalty kicks, awarded for infringements around the base of the ruck, rebound off the woodwork from very kickable positions. But Droitwich would battle on and earn the victory which is the kick-start needed in their battle against relegation.

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