Local derby serves up try feast
© Glenn Hutton
©Glenn Hutton
NATIONAL LEAGUE TWO NORTH
Stockport 10 (0) Sedgley Park 85 (5)
The National Two North clash between Stockport and Sedgley Park Tigers produced 95 points and 14 tries as the away side won 85-10.
The start to the National 2 season saw Stockport travel away to Ampthill; a long journey to play a club that were seconds away from promotion to National 1 last season. The members at Stockport felt their team had performed well and only a dubious yellow card had seen the score get out of hand. The ground at Stockport looked well as they welcomed near neighbours, Sedgley Park.
Other results
Birmingham & Solihull 36-38 Broadstreet
Ampthill & District 66-7 Leicester Lions
Huddersfield 18-18 Harrogate
Hull 10-44 Hull Ionians
Otley 17-24 Preston Grasshoppers
Stourbridge 27-18 Luctonians
Caldy 21-15 Chester
This fixture had not been played for over 20 years and you got the feeling the home supporters would like to make it another 20 years again until they next meet, as for the second week running Stockport came up against high-scoring opposition.
In all honesty the game felt very much like a home game as the very large Sedgley following were in the majority and came to see an improvement on last week and boy did they get their wish as Tigers slid into top gear.
The pack today were far too much for the home side as they struggled desperately all game on their own ball as time after time great platforms were set up for the half-backs led diligently by Calum McShane and Chris Wilkinson.
The Sedgley Park website reported, "The Tigers front three showed the way in spirit as demonstrated by Max Ashcroft who put a huge shift in and at one stage his sheer determination as he pressured Stockport carrier after carrier into a fatal mistake.
"The same could be said of George Hymes who is becoming a big figure in the Tigers pack. He also refereed the game pretty well too much to the annoyance of the actual referee."
Liam West had one of his best games for the club as the lively hooker had an outstanding game.
The problem area last week was the line out but there were no such problems today as the set piece worked very well.
Callum McShane was lively all game and scored excellent tries throughout (2 min, 58 min, 60 min and 68 min); his half back partner bagging another two tries.
New signing, Ryan Parkinson, scored a try on debut from the back of a rolling maul. Other try scorers included Matt and Andy Riley plus Curtis Strong, who had one of his best games in a Sedgley shirt.
Sedge Tiger reported that, "In general a very good effort by the whole travelling 20."
TalkingRugbyUnion will have match footage of the game later in the week.
