Rugby Union
Bromsgrove beaten by impressive Stourbridge

Bromsgrove 15 Stourbridge 47

National Two North

BROMSGROVE entertained Stourbridge for the first time in a league fixture on Saturday and it may well be the last for some time as the visitors maintained their 100 per cent record and seem destined to make an immediate return to National One.

In simple terms they were the best side to have visited Bromsgrove in recent seasons and whilst they were not flash, they had too much power up front and pace behind for the plucky home side to deal with.

The power of their pack was demonstrated in the first 15 minutes when former Town player Drew Harper was driven over for two early tries, both converted by another ex-Bromsgrove man, Caolan Ryan.

Town, who travel to Leicester Lions on Saturday, were reduced to 14 men on 20 minutes when Wayne Cooper was carded for a technical offence, giving the visitors the opportunity to show their running game with well worked tries for Sione Tuipuluto and Will Hurrell, both former Premiership players. Again Ryan added the extras.

Bromsgrove kept plugging away and tried to play expansive rugby, finally being rewarded with Jon Critchlow's penalty which cut the gap to 28-3 at the break.

A good start to the second half from the hosts saw them cut the gap further when Dave Hughes was driven over near the corner.

That signalled Bromsgrove's best phase of the game as they matched their illustrious rivals for the next 15 minutes before the mini deadlock was broken with another pushover try for Harper.

A yellow card followed for Paul Norris and Stourbridge took advantage of their numerical advantage with tries from Tuipuluto and Tatenda Mukarati.

Cooper received a second yellow soon after and sub Ben Copson was helped off concussed. A spirited home side continued to try and put the pressure on though and it resulted in a try for lock forward Steve Smith, Aaron Higgins converted.

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