Whitchurch 34 vs Droitwich 10

Whitchurch Win Again

Whitchurch got back to winning ways as they threw off the long journey through the Saturday motorway madness to Droitwich. Legs that were still stiff from the cars were soon limbered up and it took less than three minutes to go ahead as Alex Clarke forces away three defenders to cross for a try that went unconverted. A tricky cross wind caused some disarray in the visitors back line and after twenty-three minutes Droitwich scored a try to equalise.

The try was a surprise and, to make it a double whammy, Elliot Horton was given a yellow card. With the half time whistle approaching, the home team made their number superiority count and pressed the Whitchurch line. In an attempt to stop them crossing the line, Henry Hockenhull was adjudged to have committed a professional foul and was also sin binned. The home side thought that they could score against thirteen men, opting for a scrum five between the posts but  spirit that has returned to the Shropshire men held out and the whistle blew for the break.

Coach Max Pridmore decided that the play has too hurried and broken and brought on the experience of Jake Rees and Mike Oakden to control things. Whitchurch, still playing with just thirteen men, scored a try under the posts as Nathan Horton put an inside pass to Danny Nicholas who burst through to touch down. Nicholas then converted his own kick to put the visitors 12 – 5 ahead.

Dave and James Marvell, father and son who played together for the first time.

The men in red began to play expansive rugby and soon Henry Hockenhull made up for his yellow card by slicing through to score. Nicholas converted and Whitchurch looked like they were cruising. Perhaps they took their feet off the pedal because a lack of concentration saw a scrappy Droitwich cross to make the score 19 pts to 10 pts to Whitchurch.

The visitors took charge again controlling the line-outs and scrums. A well worked scrum enabled Jake Rees to pick up at the back and score. Two further tries, one by Abe Spragg and a second by Jake Rees, saw off the home side.

The second half was a true reflection of the spirit and skillset of Whitchurch, and they now look forward to next week when they are at home to Hereford, 2:15 kick off.