Match Report – Saturday September 14th

Match Report – Saturday September 14th

Newport First XV 17 Stockport 22

By Peter Maher
Newport started their 24-25 home season against Stockport, a club that has been in Regional Northwest for a number of years albeit with a brief dalliance with National Rugby. They finished seventh in the division last term.

Saturday was a bright day with minimal wind with Newport playing up the slope in the first half. Stockport’s defensive game plan apparently comprised of a rush defence with two or three players patrolling the back field for clearance kicks. This system caused Port problems all afternoon, making building attacks difficult given the lack of time when in possession and ensuring that any clearance kicks came right back at Port. Stockport are a physical side with a direct running style in attack and were not afraid of crashing it up the middle. Port were however the first to score after seven minutes. Following a period of Stockport pressure an infield kick from Jack Ingram was chased down by Charlie Gamble, putting boot to ball he hacked the ball through under the posts and scored. Benny Elliot added the extras, Newport 7 Stockport 0. Newport’s attack then came into the ascendancy with some strong carries. This resulted in a Port penalty just beyond the Stockport 10 which Elliot duly despatched, Newport 10 Stockport 0.

Stockport then came back with a consistent period of pressure resulting in a penalty at the Newport ten which was despatched by Euan Hall, Newport 10 Stockport 3.  Stockport carried on in the same vein with more strong carries up the middle resulting in a missed tackle at halfway and a try for Tom Hughes on the stroke of half time. Extras added the teams went in tied at 10 apiece.

Honours even and playing down the slope in the second half the Port fans were confident that victory was on the cards. Stockport carried on where they had left off however with big carries up the middle leading to a try by Rory Atwill after forty-seven minutes, Newport 10 Stockport 15. Fielding a kick the excellent Billy Dining was taken in the air leading to a yellow card for Stockport after fifty-seven minutes. Five minutes later Newport put together a beautiful move down the right with some great support play leading to Jack Ingram crossing for the try. The extras added by Elliot giving Port a two-point lead, Newport 17 Stockport 15. A second yellow on sixty-eight minutes meant that Port continued against fourteen men. A kick to the corner gave Port a great opportunity to ice the game as a scrum was taken at a resultant penalty. Unfortunately the ball was knocked on and the opportunity lost.

The decisive moment of the game came on seventy-five minutes when Port fielded a kick at their own ten. Space had opened up on the right which Elliot looked to exploit by shipping the ball right. Unfortunately Stockport’s Tom Graham timed his run perfectly from the blind spot, picked off the pass and scored under the posts. The subsequent conversion by Euan Holt making the score Newport 15 Stockport 22. Stockport then played some classic Northern “up the jumper” rugby to deny Port possession and see out the game. Final score Newport 15 Stockport 22.

A somewhat chastening afternoon for Port in some regards but the score could have been very different had a couple of plays gone the other way so plenty of positives to take forward.