Stockport meet impressive Waterloo after two missed fixtures

Stockport travelled to Waterloo, having missed two games due to the weather, so this was the first game of the new year. Despite scoring two excellent tries, they looked very rusty and were outplayed by a Waterloo side that produced some very fast running, good passing and offloading to out score Stockport by seven tries to two.

The first 30 minutes were very competitive, with Waterloo taking advantage of Stockport’s kick off going straight into touch, they ran the ball from the scrum and good running and handling resulted in a try after only 3 minutes. with no conversion the home side had a 5 point lead and looked threatening. Stockport responded well, when on 10 minutes Myles Hall ran the ball from his own line to get outside the 22 on the left, the ball was recycled and moved right, Scott Redfern sent as long pass to wing Lewis Bowman, he made 40 metres down the touchline and his inside pass gave Ashley Platt-Hughes a run in under the posts. Platt-Hughes converted to give Stockport the lead. There was some good running by both sets of backs, before a penalty attempt by Waterloo was missed and then a penalty to touch gave them a line out and drive, which resulted in flanker Callum Baldwin being yellow carded but Stockport managed to defend the scrum and a Waterloo knock on gave then an opportunity to clear the lines. The Waterloo scrum was looking dominant and a penalty was sent to touch and this time the Waterloo pack did drive over for a converted try on 30 minutes. The Waterloo backs then produced some really impressive running, two saving tackles by Myles Hall prevented a score but in the end Stockport just ran out of defenders and the home side added added a converted try to make it 19-7. Then just before half time Waterloo added their 4th try before missing a penalty to take it to 24-7 at half time.

The second half started like the first with an early try for Waterloo as they took advantage of a Stockport knock on and scored again after only 4 minutes of the half. Stockport looked to have set up a try as a good drive took the ball to the line but was held up, from the scrum the ball went wide to Bowman and he was bundled into touch a metre from the line. Another Stockport attack was foiled as a penalty for holding onto the ball after a tackle gave the home side relief. Hall was again the saviour as he just won the race to touch down a Waterloo kick ahead. The pace and accuracy of the Waterloo backs produced another two unconverted tries before Stockport scored a good try. A run by young prop Simon Metcalfe in midfield was supported by wing Richard Sackville-West who passed to Hall, the pace of the wing took him over the try line for a final score of 39-12 to Waterloo.
Next week is a home game against Ilkley, with kick off at 2-15.