Whitchurch 22 vs Halesowen 15

Red spirit wins out

 This was a game that showed all the fighting spirit and newly acquired confidence of the North Shropshire club. The red men started strongly and it was no surprise when they were able to show their power with a catch and drive line out to score with Jimmy Hockenhull getting the final touch down.

Halesonians responded with some strong play of their own but things got better for them when Alfie Linnington was shown a very harsh yellow card for what was deemed to be a high tackle. The visitors took immediate advantage to score in the corner with their speedy winger outpacing what was left of the Whitchurch backs. Just as Linnington was about to return, the Dudley men repeated the move to score again to lead 5 – 10pts. The promising Linnington had only been back on the pitch for five minutes when a bizarre series of events saw the referee give him a second yellow card and he had to leave the pitch. This incident inspired the home side to greater efforts and they pressed on their opponents’ line for the last ten minutes of the half but were thwarted when a penalty was awarded against them and the half time whistle blew with the Shropshire men losing bt five points and playing with fourteen men.

Coach Andy Powell must have said something to his players because they came out for the second half determined to right any wrongs they felt had been done to them. They pressed their visitors for the first ten minutes  and thought they had been awarded a penalty try when a Halesonian hand deliberately knocked on with Whitchurch only yards from the line. Their celebrations were halted when the decision appeared to be altered and only a penalty was given for the offence. This proved too much and pure Shropshire grit proved too much for the battered defence and Nathan Horton crashed over for a try. Danny Nicholas converted and Whitchurch were now ahead again.  A few minutes later, an outstanding improvisation by the young Max Clarke saw him spot a gap in the defence and race through from his own half and then outsmart the fullback to score under the posts. Nicholas converted to stretch the home side’s lead. Time was almost up when Halesowen managed another try against the fourteen men. Things began to look black for Whitchurch when Nathan Horton was yellow carded, leaving the Edgely Park men with only thirteen men on the pitch to face the full complement of Brummies. Powell has called for the spirit of Whitchurch to show itself and it did here. They forced their opponents back and caused them to have a payer of their own carded. The ensuing penalty saw Nicholas return the points difference to seven and the Shropshire men never looked liked giving it up.  Final score 22 pts to 15 pts.

         Coach Andy Powell said, “A fantastic and well deserved result. Done the hard way.”