Stockport earn bonus point against Hull Ionians

Stockport put in an excellent performance against title challenging Hull Ionians to earn a late losing bonus point in a 24-19 National League 2 North defeat. 

Both sides exchanged scores in a tight first half as tries from Alexander Campbell and Samuel Wilson for Hull Ionains were matched by Stockport’s Chris Roddy and Kieran Hibbs.

Wilson crossed for his second try just before half time to give the visitors a 19-12 lead.

Stephen Slingsby was then sin binned for the I’s in the second half, but his side added another try as Alex Torkington crossed over.

However, Stockport never gave up in this contest and claimed a losing bonus point as Ben Marsland went over in the last play of the game.

Stockport Coach Matthew Bebbington said: “That was probably our best performance of the season.

“Regardless of the result, I think we even left two tries out there so in the end we could have actually snuck a win.

“The good thing was we created our three tries ourselves, but unfortunately three of their tries were caused by a few brain explosions at key points, but if we play like that for the reminder of the season, we could pick up a couple of wins.

“Next week we have Caldy at home, who we should have beat at their place as we were 30-12 up, so it’s looking good for next week.”

Having been bottom for most of the season and with just one win to their name, Stockport knew this would be an extremely tough test against Hull Ionains, who themselves went to the top of the league with this win.

But, considering there is 94 points separating the two teams, this was a well matched encounter at Headlands Road despite an early try for the Humberside outfit.

From a Stockport scrum midway inside their own half, Hull Ionians’ physicality shone through as they turned over the ball and spun it wide.

Ionians centre Joel Gill was held up on the try line, but the away side’s power from the resulting scrum was enough to see Campbell touch down with Issac Green converting.

Stockport fly-half George Smith had said in the week that his side could play with no fear and had nothing to lose against a strong Hull Ionians team and they did exactly that from the restart.

Port responded well as winger Myles Hall went close after a deft sleight of hand from Ollie Longmore, but after numerous penalties for the home side they were rewarded as Chris Roddy barged his way over from a catch and drive from the line-out. Smith levelled the score at 7-7.

It took just seven minutes for the I’s to regain the lead as once more a loose pass from Stockport saw the ball knocked on and it presented a chance to Hull Ionians which they duly took.

From the penalty, the ball was flung out to the left hand side and Wilson scampered home in the corner for 12-7.

However, Hull Ionians were pegged back immediately as Port threatened straight from the restart.

They won a penalty just inside the Hull Ionians half and from the scrum, the ball found centre Ashley Platt-Hughes.

He then smashed his way through the opposing fly-half James Ferguson before offloading to Hall. Port were then in front of the posts and spread the ball right for Hibbs to cross over in the corner.

Not many people who have expected the score to be 12-12 after 25 minutes and Port were certainly holding their own in both attack and defence as they had to withstand sustained periods of pressure from the visitors.

Stockport may have even felt hard done by to be behind at half-time, but again Ionians’ try came from a Port mistake.

After conceding a penalty for a deliberate knock-on, the Ionians took full advantage once again as Gill and Wilson combined for their third try of the game with Green knocking over the conversion for a 19-12 half-time lead.

The second half was a tight and cagey affair with both sides producing knock ons and the odd forward pass, but the pendulum looked as though it had swung in Stockport’s favour when Slinsgby was shown a yellow card.

However, the pressure all came from the away side as they went close on a couple of occasions and Port were pinned back in their own 22 despite having a man advantage.

The hosts tried to run it from deep instead of clearing their lines and were made to pay. The Ionians were held up on the line yet again after pounding pressure from their forwards and from the five metre scrum, the replacement Torkington picked up from the base and plonked the ball down over the try line for 24-12.

Hull Ionians were restored to 15 men, but it was Stockport who ended the game the stronger side and claimed a well-deserved losing bonus point with the last action of the match.

Paul Millea produced a thumping hit to make the initial break, before the ball was worked out to the right hand side. Substitute Mike Kaciubskyji produced a wonderfully time pass to find Marsland who evaded two on rushing tackles to gallop home. Smith produced a pin-point accurate kick to further secure the losing bonus point for Stockport.

Next Saturday, Stockport welcome Caldy to Headlands Road. Kick-off is 3pm.

Stockport: J Edwards; Fletcher, Platt-Hughes, J Anthony, Hall;  Smith, Street;  Fuller (capt), Longmore, Anthony; Roddy, Waddington;  K Hibbs, Marsland,  S Green.
Replacements: Graham, Millea, C Hibbs, Batterbury, Kaciubskyji.

Tries: Roddy, K Hibbs, Marsland.
Cons:  Smith (2)

Hull Ionians:  Smith; Slingsby, Gill, L Thundercliffe, Wilson; Ferguson, Green; J Thudercliff, Thomson, Laverick; Makin, Kench Socino, Birch, Campbell.
Replacements:  Snare, Forth, Torkington, Naylor, Crocket

Tries: Campbell, Wilson (2), Torkington
Cons:  Green (3)