Aldridge win well in the Cup

We proceeded comfortably into the next round of the North Midlands plate competition when visiting Chaddesley Corbett for last Saturday’s fixture. Playing throughout at an intensity that the home side never managed to match, we soon began to stretch their defence gaining an upper hand that we never looked like relinquishing. We opened our account after just 10 minutes with a try by prop Eddie O’Neill crashing over from close range and two others in the next 10 minutes effectively killed off the match by midway through the first half - full back Mat O’Hare latched on to a wayward bounce on the half way line and showed a clean pair of heels to the opposition defence as he scampered it back over the home side’s try line and hooker Lee Ross scattered the defensive line up when he drove over after a period of forward pressure. No 10 Harry Baldock converted both.

After the break, from the kick-off, the home side showed surprising disinterest in the ball as it bounced amongst them allowing scrum-half Adam Reed to take full advantage by kicking on and chasing hard to grab the touch down just as the ball crossed the try line. Baldock again converted. Chaddesley Corbett had been blunted in attack thus far but No 7 Aran Humphreys gained a consolation score, popping out of a ruck with the ball in his hands and an open run to the Aldridge line. Mat O’Hare, scoring his second, soon nullified this. Now playing at centre, a piercing break and a swerving run took him over close to the posts and - towards the end - O’Neill also added to his tally, smashing through to touch down between the posts - Harry Baldock converted both.

Jim Chambers