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Sat 12 Nov 2011 · National League 2 North
1st XVPreston Grasshoppers
Tries: A ZAVALLIS-ROEBUCK, J PEARSONConversions: J LONGMORE (2)Penalties: J LONGMORE (2)
20
30
STOCKPORT DESERVED SOMETHING OUT OF HOPPERS VISIT
Richard Hope14 Nov 2011 - 13:37
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Stockport so dominated certain facets of the game but the visitors took their chances well.
As far as everyone could remember this was the first ever League meeting of the two clubs. The visitors kept news of the debut of Rugby League legend Sean Long under wraps until 20 minutes before the kick off.
The opening exchanges in the game gave every indication that it was going tight affair and after Stockport had taken the lead in the 10th minute with a Josh Longmore penalty it was Preston who then exerted some pressure. And 4 minutes later Sean Long recorded his first ever Rugby Union try. It came from a classic Rugby League 5th tackle tactic as the Preston fly half stabbed the ball along the ground and over the try line. Sean Long ran through and touched down. The conversion was added 3-7.
The only further points of the half came from a Preston penalty to bring the score at half time to 3-10. The second half was more open. Stockport continued to enjoy domination of the set scrums and line outs, but Preston struck quickly in the half with Stockport running out of defenders on the left side allowing the Preston Full back to score in the corner. 3-17.
Stockport’s fly half Alex Zavallis-Roebuck reduced the deficit 7 minutes later as he reproduced Preston’s opening try but as a solo performance. Josh Longmore added the conversion. 10-17. Preston added a penalty before Stockport mounted a sustained period of pressure and this eventually bore fruit with a close range drive over the line by No.8 Jordan Pearson. Josh Longmore brought the score to 17-20.
Stockport were just catching their breath when the visitors executed the try of the day. Their fly half Graham Holroyd who had controlled things well for his team all match launched a cross field kick which went straight into his full back’s hands wide on the right wing. Holroyd added the conversion. 17-27 with 15 minutes remaining. Such was Stockport domination that it looked possible for them to still get back into the game. Their problem then was that they had still been unable to unravel the referee’s interpretation of the laws. They picked up a penalty. 20-27, but even the losing bonus point was snatched away with the last kick of the game when Graham Holroyd completed a flawless kicking performance with a penalty. 20-30.
The opening exchanges in the game gave every indication that it was going tight affair and after Stockport had taken the lead in the 10th minute with a Josh Longmore penalty it was Preston who then exerted some pressure. And 4 minutes later Sean Long recorded his first ever Rugby Union try. It came from a classic Rugby League 5th tackle tactic as the Preston fly half stabbed the ball along the ground and over the try line. Sean Long ran through and touched down. The conversion was added 3-7.
The only further points of the half came from a Preston penalty to bring the score at half time to 3-10. The second half was more open. Stockport continued to enjoy domination of the set scrums and line outs, but Preston struck quickly in the half with Stockport running out of defenders on the left side allowing the Preston Full back to score in the corner. 3-17.
Stockport’s fly half Alex Zavallis-Roebuck reduced the deficit 7 minutes later as he reproduced Preston’s opening try but as a solo performance. Josh Longmore added the conversion. 10-17. Preston added a penalty before Stockport mounted a sustained period of pressure and this eventually bore fruit with a close range drive over the line by No.8 Jordan Pearson. Josh Longmore brought the score to 17-20.
Stockport were just catching their breath when the visitors executed the try of the day. Their fly half Graham Holroyd who had controlled things well for his team all match launched a cross field kick which went straight into his full back’s hands wide on the right wing. Holroyd added the conversion. 17-27 with 15 minutes remaining. Such was Stockport domination that it looked possible for them to still get back into the game. Their problem then was that they had still been unable to unravel the referee’s interpretation of the laws. They picked up a penalty. 20-27, but even the losing bonus point was snatched away with the last kick of the game when Graham Holroyd completed a flawless kicking performance with a penalty. 20-30.
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