Stourbridge Saxons lose to Blaydon

Stourbridge Saxons 9 Blaydon 29

A well-organised defensive effort and some clinical finishing steered Blaydon to a first ever win over Stourbridge Saxons at Stourton Park.

Although Stourbridge combined a solid set-piece display with a number of threatening bursts from three quarters Ben Barkley and Nathan Bressington, they also made far too many basic errors.

This meant Blaydon, who like the Saxons are at the wrong end of National One, secured an unlikely bonus point win.

Neil Mitchell's team visit another struggling club, Barking, next week and, with a difficult December programme looming large, this clash now assumes epic proportions.

The visitors opened the scoring in the 10th minute, when centre Charlie Incledon cut a smart line from a Hall Charlton offload, and quick hands put giant wing David Sheldon in the corner.

Two penalties from home fly half Mark Woodrow were matched by one from Blaydon's Andrew Baggett, before the visitors took control with a rapid 14 point burst.

After visiting No 8 Gavin Jones was the grateful beneficiary of a poorly executed Saxons' defensive lineout, centre David Clark barged through some weak tackling to dot down under the posts.

Although Woodrow's third successful penalty reduced the interval arrears to 13 points, Blaydon controlled the opening ten minutes of the second period, to thwart the Saxons hopes of kick-starting a revival.

Tom Richardson and Nathan Bressington combined on the hour mark to create Stour's best attacking move of the game.

The England Counties scrum half burst 50 metres from his own line, before finding the former Moseley flyer, whose chip and chase was only foiled by some desperate defence.

Stourbridge now had a foothold in the visitors' 22, and following a series of illegally-repelled driving lineouts, the visitors lost replacement lock Keith Laughlin to the sin bin.

A period of ressure looked certain to produce a home try, but Blaydon picked off a loose pass to launch a flowing move that ended with replacement centre Tom Catterick clinching the bonus point with a converted score.