Aldridge 'sparkle' against league leaders

Aldridge put in one of their best performances of the season to beat league leaders Market Drayton and overtake them at the top of the table. With 25 minutes gone it was a tight affair, Market Drayton led 11-10 but Aldridge were right in the game, a converted try from Adam Reed and a penalty had put Aldridge on the scoreboard, but if truth be told we should have been in the lead. Strong runs from Number 10 Josh Atkin, Nick Yates, Adam Morris, big veteran second row Ed O'Neil and Dan McKenna had all come to nothing as the final pass just hadn't gone to hand. The pack were in the ascendancy as the front row of Luke Russell, skipper Mark Smith and Tight Head Neil Smith were negating the strength of the Market Drayton pack, technique over brawn was winning the set piece battle, and the back row trio of Lea Ross, Lee Stokes and Adam Butler were simply everywhere.

Aldridge this season are a very different beast from last year, fitness levels are much improved and it showed in the last 10 minutes of the first half, firstly Adam Butler was on the end of some great offloading play to score after great work from the forwards, then Adam Morris finished off a fine team try, started from a lineout in our own 22, 90 seconds and 5 phases later, Full Back Morris who was impressing throughout scored under the posts after being put away by "Old Man Ben" Pittam. The last 2 minutes of the half were played within the Aldridge 22, as Market Drayton and their big pack tried to power back, but fine defence, especially from returning second row Liam Burlace repelled the attack time and time again.

Half Time: Aldridge 22 Market Drayton 11

The second half started very much like the first, Market Drayton were starved of the ball, as the Aldridge pack started to dominate with 2 balls against the head; Loosehead Luke Russell was slowly systematically dismantling his prop scrum by scrum. However again the final pass didn't go to hand or wasn't held as Aldridge failed to convert the possession and territorial advantage they had. On 50 minutes, Liam Burlace was replaced in the second row by Ben Drinkwater (who as always brings his mix of ball carrying and unpredictability to the fore) and immediately made an impact securing a great turnover, and new number 8, Ben Husthwaite who had rushed from Gatwick airport to make his 1st XV debut. Husthwaite was immediately in the thick of things, being given a Yellow Card from the referee after repeated team offence warnings at the end of the first half.

However with 14 men, Aldridge pushed on. From a scrum in the Market Drayton 22, Adam Reed put the ball wide and Brad Russell, on his return to the side after a few weeks away, skipped two tacklers and scored in the corner (unconverted). Then came the try of the game, Aldridge now back to 15, started in their own 22, with the ball under control, Aldridge attacked with pace and creativity, Josh Atkins making the original line break, Neil Smith clearing the resulting ruck area alone like a ten pin bowling strike, and then following great hands from both Luke and better brother Brad Russell and a fine run from skipper Mark Smith, Adam Reed, popped the ball 15 metres out to "Bad Boy" Ben Husthwaite who powered over the line to score (converted by Adam Reed) and Aldridge were 34 - 11 up with 10 minutes to play.

Market Drayton were not top for no reason and they came back with 2 tries as Aldridge were again down to 14 as Ed O'Neill was given a yellow. With time up on the clock, Drayton pushed for a bonus point , but phases after phase of attacks were repelled, and then finally Adam Reed ripping the ball from the 6ft 5in second row and the game was over, and Aldridge RFC go top of the league.

Final Score Aldridge 34 Market Drayton 23

Man of the Match: Adam Reed

Tries: Adam Reed, Adam Butler, Adam Morris, Brad Russell, Ben Husthwaite
Cons: Adam Reed x 3
Pens: Adam Reed x 1

Head Coach Jon Arch...
"One of the guys said today 'we play better rugby when we play the better teams' and it's true...some of the rugby today was simply stunning. Adam Reed when he plays like that is simply unstoppable (and he wasn't well), and his partnership with Josh Atkins is starting to look special (Josh has been carrying a knee injury which has prevented him kicking). Truth be said had the final pass gone to hand, or the right option taken int he final 22 it would have been 50 points plus, but 5 tries and a superb controlled performance over the league leaders - well we have got to be happy with that ! !

Our front row today were simply awesome; Neil Smith is technically the best tight-head prop in our league and he showed that today, and Luke Russells always impressive work rate was matched by his set-piece work, and in Mark Smith at hooker we have someone with pace, passion and desire, last week he made 18 tackles from hooker, today it was more ! !

Today though is just another win, and we start again on tuesday night in preparation for the RFU Midlands Vase Quarter Final against Birstall RFC, and it will be tough to change the squad after a performance like today.There will be things we need to work and improve on - our defensive connectivity and line speed wasn't as it should be and again we will work on our finishing but its nice to be top of the league even though it puts a big target on our backs. What matters now is that we stay there, and we can only do that by putting great performances in week after week - we have 'set the standard' and we cannot afford to let it slip.

The club put out 3 teams today, including the second outing for our Under 23's who not only beat a very good Spartans side 40 - 5, but I understand from Director of Rugby Jim Arnold that there performance was superb, and the 2's with a number of new players lost narrowly at Veseyans 18 - 12. Many clubs in the area are down to one side with an irregular 2nd team, so it shows what a great place the club is in."