Derby day joy for six-try Shipston
SHIPSTON claimed the bragging rights over neighbours and rivals Stratford, running in six tries to lift them back into the top three of Regional Two Midlands West.
Against a visiting side missing a number of players, the Rams made the perfect start, running in three tries in the opening 20 minutes helped by their opponents picking up an early yellow card.
Head coach Matt Corby said: “Derby games are the ones you earmark at the start of the season and these boys have been eyeing this game up for two or three weeks. While we want to win every game, these ones are definitely the ones we target so it is pleasing to come away with a win.
“I thought our start was excellent. We played with some real pace and tempo and used the full width. Then after the first 15 or 20 I thought we became a bit scrappy. We didn’t play our best stuff although there were glimpses, particularly in the second half when we offloaded well. But with the emotion of who we were playing it was never going to be perfect.
“I know Stratford were missing a few and we wanted to make the most of that.”
Shipston opened the scoring inside three minutes with a fine try from centre Ben Harris who weaved through three tackles before dotting down with Tate O’Donovan slotting over the first of his five conversions.
Visiting prop Michael Dawes picked up a harsh yellow card soon after for what the referee considered to be a high tackle and the home side promptly ran in two more tries. Skipper Robbie Faulkner scored in the corner before Rob James intercepted a pass from inside his own half and out-paced his chasers to the try-line with O’Donovan slotting over a penalty and a conversion.
Stratford posted their first points just after the midway point of the half when, following a series of tap penalties, Gwilym Davies dived in, Dan Whitby adding the extras to make it 22-7 which was how it remained until half-time.
When scrum-half Jake Lowe slipped through for a second converted try for the Black-and-Whites two minutes into the second half, there were hopes of a fightback. But it wasn’t to be with winger Henry Hopkins scoring for Shipston in the corner before a quick-fire double from forwards Tobi Faulkner and Harry Clark - all converted - wrapped up the points.
Winger George Rowe grabbed a third converted score for the visitors with five minutes to go only for solid Shipston defending to deny them a fourth bonus point try.
Corby added: “We’ve lost a couple of tight games which we feel we shouldn’t have lost so it’s been a pleasing start to the season. We worked on a few things in pre-season and the lads have stuck to it so long may it continue.”
