Close - but...

If truth be told this was a game Aldridge could and should have won, they just left themselves too much to do in the last 10 minutes as a depleted "A"s pushed for victory. Three times Rugeley backs got the ball in the first half and three times they scored, and despite 2 penalties from Adam Reed and an unconverted try from Nick Yates, the half time score of 19-11 didn't really tell the truth of a half which Aldridge had dominated in possession and field position.

Within 2 minutes of the second half a third Adam Reed penalty had bought us to 19-14, and then another missed tackle and we are back to 24 - 14 down - Silly mistakes being punished ruthlessly.

With 35 minutes to go, the changes were made and then we limmediately lost Scrum Half Reed to an Ankle injury which will keep him out until the new year, and centre Ryan Bowen with a broken hand. In adversity, Aldridge found strength, Number 8 Lea Ross and Hooker/Captain Mark Smith led by example and with Harry Baldock moved to 9 orchestrating things, the forwards gave it their all. Big Liam Burlace who put in a huge performance and replacement prop Ellis Garratt immediately started to punch holes and with go forward ball and with 5 minutes to go, Big Jim Arnold galloped gazelle like in from 22 metres out to score in the corner (converted by Harry Baldock); 5 minutes to go 24 - 21 to Rugeley

The final 5 minutes were all Aldridge, but with a makeshift backline (Dan McKenna had stepped in at fly half) we simply couldn't get the winning score.

FINAL SCORE: RUGELEY 1st XV 24 ALDRIDGE RFC 1st XV 21

Head Coach Jon Arch...
"Preparation this week has been good, so to lose Josh Atkin (illness) and Ben Drinkwater (unavailable) just 2 hours before kick off was real blow...the injuries during the game to Sir Adam and Bowen didn't help, but even without them we should have been good enough to win that game.

You don't win games if you don't tackle; I know the guys are viewing this as a great opportunity which we let slip away. I am not happy about how we played, our line speed in defence was non-existent, their backline were past the gain line in the first half before we put a tackle in... We work on line speed every week, and for some reason we sat back.

That said, last season we lost 45-3 away at Rugeley, today we should have won... We are progressing as a club, and as rugby players. I felt some players really stood up today; Liam Burlace played like a 6ft 7in second row who is big and powerful, and the work rate from Neil Smith was excellent. Our lineout was at 90% success and we pinched half their ball; the scrum was excellent throughout.

We have two tough games coming up before Christmas, Trentham have been on a good run recently, and then we travel to Warley on the 21st which will be tough. We are still taking each game as it comes, today was one which got away.

Massive thanks to the Old Boys who have been travelling to watch up religiously this season, and a couple of the lads who were injured who came along to support. I think that is what makes the defeat hurt so much more, our expectations are high, our standards are set high and today we came up short."