Rugeley Rugby Club Welcome Market Drayton to Hagley field I the first home match since the winter cold period.
The home team started the match with renewed fight and determination with pressure right from the start culminating in an early penalty. This being converted by the steady foot of Adam Grocott.
This shaking Market Drayton into life and the came right back at Rugeley causing the home team to crack under the pressure and make easy mistakes allowing a penalty for the visitors right under the posts, but it seemed the visitors were not as confident as they appeared and the visiting kicker misses leaving the score at 3 – 0 to Rugeley after only 7 minutes.

Disgruntled Market Drayton came right back at Rugeley and the home team once again buckled under the pressure and with mistakes being made and the visiting team putting together a series of moves and set play allowing Drayton’s Fijian fly half to take advantage of the space and score a try.
Not converting the try this bringing the score to 3 – 5 to the visitors,
The game restarted and Rugeley applied pressure on the visitors with some superb set play from the home pack and support from the backs when Rugeley Scrum half Cei Griffin was able to break free and make a 20mtr run for the posts and once again with the steady foot of Grocott Rugeley were able to pull ahead with what looked to be a convincing lead. 10 – 5 at the 35th minute.
Rugeley continued to apply pressure on the visitors this proving to be too much for the visitors and cracks in their defence and discipline resulting in a penalty for Rugeley, opting to take the posts once again Grocott and his 100% kicking record continued bringing the score to 13 – 5 at the half time break.
The start of the second period started as the first ended with pressure being applied to the visiting side and Rugeley proving that despite the league table position they have the technical ability and experience to hold any team at any level.
With some sound ball handling from Andy Morecock and Rob Castles allow the home side to take complete control of the game.
Rugeley looking set to take their first win of the season the home side continued to keep control, but just like the weather the tide was turning and Market Drayton seemed to be regrouping and with their renewed discipline they set their play to take full advantage of the space Rugeley were allowing.
A try was scored after the visiting teams Fijian centre made a dash for the try line leaving Rugeley’s forwards standing. 13 – 10 half way through the second period.
Market Drayton continued to apply pressure on the home side but Rugeley was able to hold the visitors, with only 8 minutes to go Drayton were gifted another try right under the posts but once again unable to convert bringing the score 13 – 15 to the visitors.
Rugeley upped the pace once again this resulting in Market Drayton’s discipline being compromised and mistakes were being made and cracks once again becoming apparent resulting in the visitors prop forward being sin binned for dangerous play.
Rugeley took full advantage of the situation and once again applied pressure that the visitors could not contain, with only 5 minutes to go the visitors conceded a penalty and up stepped super confident Grocott once again stepped up to the plait, with the crowd in silence and his team mates watching Grocott lined the ball up with the posts, Assuming the Johnny Wilkinson pose and lining up the ball, Grocott was about to kick the winning ball for Rugeley.
But Disaster struck the ball in the air and heading for the posts and Rugeley’s first win of the season when a freak gust of wind side swiped the ball and at everyone’s surprise including Grocott the ball hit the bar and came back at the field of play allowing Market Drayton to kick the ball away from the posts and when next the ball when out of play the final whistle was blown.
The final score was 13 - 15 to the visiting team, Rugeley played with renewed vitality and ability, with a passion and ability that everyone in the team should have been proud of, but once again success was dragged away by the jaws of defeat.

Today’s Game was Sponsored by B&J Holdings “Rugeley” if you would like to sponsor a game please contact the club at rugeleyrugbyclub@gmail.com for further details.