Written by Will Parker

Stoke on Trent U15’s v Lichfield U15’s – Friendly Match – Sunday 13th February 2022

KO 11:03am – Game played on 1st Team Pitch with Stoke playing towards the Clubhouse in the first half, and kicking off. Weather wet, wild and windy!

4 mins – Lichfield Try. After good defensive pressure on the Stoke attack, Lichfield were awarded a line out that they won well in trying conditions, the ball was moved smoothly off the top of the line out and across the backs to Leni Payne who broke several tackles and finished strongly from the 22m line to the right hand side of the posts

Conversion successful by Chaz Vernon

8 mins – Stoke try. After a Stoke kick and chase Lichfield kicked the ball out behind their dead ball line, from the resultant 5m scrum to Stoke the ball was recycled at the following ruck and they scored to the left hand side of the posts

Conversion successful

17 mins – Lichfield try. After a clearing kick into the Stoke half Lichfield pressured and tackled well forcing Stoke to turn the ball over, the ball was then trucked up in the centres by the forwards before being recycled and moved back to the right hand side of the field where Chaz Vernon cut back to the right hand side of the posts to score

Conversion unsuccessful

22 mins – Lichfield try. After a penalty kick to touch was missed by Lichfield, Stoke recovered the ball only to spill it back for Lichfield to reclaim and set up 2 rucks tying in the Stoke forwards before releasing the backs, the ball reached Lucas Laing in the centre who jinked his way past 3 defenders to score under the posts

Conversion successful by Chaz Vernon

End of first half. Stoke 7 – 19 Lichfield

34 mins – Lichfield try. Lichfield applied sustained pressure on the Stoke defence which led to some wild passes being thrown and eventually possession was regained by Will Beard who was able to hand off a couple of would be tacklers to score to the right hand side of the posts

Conversion unsuccessful

46 mins – Lichfield try. After Lichfield had turned over a Stoke ruck on the 10m line (great jackalling from Fynn Ward), the ball was moved out to the left where Zac Birkett-Potter cut back in and absolutely burned the defence off to score under the posts

Conversion successful by Chaz Vernon

48 mins – Lichfield try. From the Stoke restart after Lichfield’s previous try, Will Fox caught the ball and set a ruck up, the ball was secured and moved out to the backs where Charlie Semple stepped back to evade a poor attempted Stoke tackle and opened his legs up to round the defence and score under the posts from 50m out

Conversion successful by Chaz Vernon

Final Score. Stoke 7 – 38 Lichfield

This performance was very workmanlike lads, in probably the worst conditions you’ve played in, you worked very hard on your processes to try and maintain continuity and a flow to the game. That said, some lads were working harder than others and it showed, we talked about it at half time and you (largely) addressed it, so well done. What worked really well was your pressure in defence, Stoke had some strong ball carriers but they were one out runners and you dealt with that pretty well, the pressure applied collectively meant Stoke were forced into throwing the ball away a lot of the time, where we were able to capitalise.

Make no mistake, putting 38 points on Stoke is very impressive and points towards your continued progression and ability to vary the game plan in line with the conditions. When we played Stoke in May 2021 we lost 39 – 33, and we were evenly matched……we weren’t today, you showed them and everyone watching, how far you’ve come and the journey has only just really started, so well done again lads