Stamford Rugby Club end Stewart and Lloyds’ impressive home record

Stamford ended the three-year unbeaten home record of Stewart and Lloyds after a superb success on Saturday.

The purple, black and whites recorded a 6-18 victory in the Counties 1 Midlands East (South) clash to bring an end to the Corby team's run of 26 consecutive home victories.

Stamford had made the short trip down the A43 expecting a tough encounter against a newly-promoted side who had won two of their opening games.

However, Matt Albinson and George Cox's side were buoyed by their 46-14 victory over Newbold on Avon the previous weekend where Stamford had produced an excellent free-flowing display.

Selection was due to be a headache for Albinson and Cox with players returning from long term unavailability and injury.

But injuries were picked up on Thursday night at training, creating a reshape in the backline but lessening the selection 'decisions' that were due to be made.

Iain Downer, Tristan Small and Pete Hurrell had all been in the mix for selection but became unavailable due to injury or illness.

Michael Kendall, who sustained a foot injury the previous week, now looks to be out for the foreseeable future with a fracture and possible ligament damage.

However, such is the strength in depth this year that the alternative players that were brought into the squad did not weaken the side in any way shape or form.

With Hurrell missing, Lewis Lancaster came into inside centre to partner fellow centre Freddie Hill while Tom Chesworth returned to fly half and James Wilson, absent from the first three games due to holidays, returned to the left wing.

Austin Baker made a welcome return to the squad having now tied the knot and honeymooned, completing a strong and robust line-up.

The game was played in excellent overhead conditions and, with a firm pitch and dry ball, there was every opportunity to witness free-flowing rugby.

The game started with an enforcing tackle by Ed Cox on the Stewart and Lloyds second row in receipt of the kick off, only for Ali Shaw to be adjudged to have gone off his feet while counter-rucking.

The following lineout was won in the air by Jack Jones and Stamford immediately put the ball through the hands to find David Martin on the right wing who took the outside on but was cover-tackled into touch.

This was to be one of seven times the back three were ushered into touch across the afternoon and will be an area of play that Albinson and Cox will want to focus on back on the training ground.

The resulting lineout was won by Stewart and Lloyds and moved into the midfield to the loose forwards who were met by the rampaging Callum Robertson, who chopped and rolled with the elegance of a floor gymnast and physicality of a sumo wrestler.

Ed Cox pounced upon the situation and quickly locked on to the ball to give Stamford a penalty 25 metres out and right in front of the uprights. Fraser Hutton, lay down his tee, stepped up and converted with confidence.

Another breakdown penalty, this time for the Stewart and Lloyds centre not releasing, led to Stamford choosing to turn down three points and put the ball in the corner.

Hutton kicked to within five metres and the pack caught, drove and Ed Cox dotted down out of view of the referee who gave a knock on from what he had seen.

Not to be denied, Ed Cox ran in a sweeping score that saw the forwards and backs alike move the ball from the right hand side, following a kick reception from Freddie Chapman, to the left hand side and back again through Chesworth at fly half.

A fantastic line in the midfield by co-captain Jones put Ed Cox in to dot down under the posts and for Hutton to kick the conversion to take a 0-10 lead.

The game proceeded in a very stop-start fashion from this point onwards, moving from scrum to penalty to lineout on regular occasions.

As and when Stamford had possession, they were the side that looked most confident and had the better structure.

Stamford's second row, Gus Davies, received a yellow card for a shoulder to the head of the S&L prop who picked and went at the line, resulting in the purple, black and whites having to play with 14 players for 10 minutes before half-time.

Stewart and Lloyd's fly half, Jay Manson, kicked a penalty to bring the home team within a score, only for Hutton to then reply with a penalty late in the first half to take a 3-13 lead into the break.

Both sides defended with aggression, meeting runners on the gain line and completing two-man tackles that then became messy breakdown areas, that led to penalty after penalty after penalty.

Ten minutes into the second half, Stewart and Lloyds were awarded a penalty that they chose to take at goal and converted, adding scoreboard pressure and leaving the game within one score at 6-13.

A period of stalemate was played out until Stamford were awarded a free-kick at scrum time and calmly put together eight phases of play.

Martin came off his wing, picked up from the base of the preceding ruck and bundled over for the game sealing try.

It capped a Stamford performance that was both commanding and composed – further demonstrating that this season is one they do not want to leave down to chance.

They are currently in third spot in the table, level on points with second-placed Biggleswade and just one adrift of league leaders Bugbrooke.

The first team now have a well-deserved rest weekend and a two week window to get back on the training ground and sharpen skill set and provide recovery time to those currently injured.

Their next match is at home to Old Laurentians on Saturday, October 12.

Stamford: Michael Harris, Harley Riches, Callum Robertson, Ben Chisholm, Gus Davies, Ali Shaw, Ed Cox, Jack Jones, Fraser Hutton, Tom Chesworth, James Wilson, Lewis Lancaster, Freddie Hill, David Martin, Freddie Chapman, Joe Ireland, Rob Hesford, Austin Baker.