Stanford too strong for May and Baker (From Thurrock Gazette)

Great showing for scrum club

8:00pm Friday 26th October 2012 in Sport

Stanford 1sts 25s

May & Baker 22

STANFORD’s first string put in a big performance to beat May & Baker at the Rec at the weekend.

Stanford started off with a good strong run, forcing an immediate error from Bakers but over exuberance from Stanford’s inside centre Matthew Rumble led to a Bakers interception and a sprint under the Stanford posts in less than a minute of play – and an easy conversion followed.

Rumble was pin point accurate with his restart and Liam Morley was onto the ball before anyone else.

Morley broke several tackles and the second try of the game came, in as many minutes, bringing Stanford back within two points as the conversion was missed.

They proved this in the next few minutes by some very good plays which push Stanford back towards their line.

But then Stanford pressure meant Joe McCallum scored a well-deserved try.

Ash Smith stepped up and added the extra two points.

More points followed to Bakers, but the conversion was missed.

And at the other end Stanford were frustrated when – with only 10 minutes of the first half to play – Stanford saw their wide penalty bounce off the upright – to the frustration of kicker Smith.

But Sam Herbert caught the rebound and Bakers conceded another penalty.

The first half finished 15-17 in favour of Bakers and as the second half started Bakers put more points on the board.

Tempers looked close to boiling over as Danny Jackson – who had had been a problem for the Bakers pack all through the first half – continued disrupting lineout ball.

He made big hits and stole the ball in the tight.

Off the back of a ruck Herbert fed Ash Smith who cut a perfect line taking Stanford up to within 5 metres of the Bakers, line only to be dragged down by a very good cover tackle.

Both sides wasted chances as the action became frenetic and Reece Anderson took three players on only to be dropped inches from the line.

Finally Morley powered over, with Smith adding the following two points to bring the score back to 22 all.

With the game evenly poised Stanford were awarded a penalty which Ash Smith stepped up and calmly put Stanford into the lead.

Bakers were nowhere near done, they came back at Stanford even harder. Bakers were unable to claw back the points and as the final whistle went the Stanford players jumped for joy to win 25 -22 Next week Stanford are on the road with a trip to Brightingsea.