MATCH REPORT: National League Two Division North: Stockport 27-27 Birmingham and Solihull

Tries from Ashley Platt-Hughes and Paul Millea gave Stockport a 14-3 half-time lead, with Bees’ points coming from the boot of Adam Canning.

The visitors scored their first try just after the break via Steven Johns, but Port hit back immediately as Millea grabbed his second try.

Edwards then kicked a penalty before Birmingham and Solihull scored twice through Henno Venter and a penalty try to make it 24-24 with seven minutes left.

Despite Canning putting his side ahead, Edwards levelled with the last kick of the game.

Stockport thoroughly deserved the two points, but did feel a slight sense of disappointment that they hadn’t seen out this game and started 2015 with a win.

Stockport coach Matthew Bebbington said: “It’s mixed emotions in terms of disappointed not to get the win, but please we got a draw. We were 24-10 up and conceded a couple of tries from kick returns due to us not having the right chasing line and spacing which is disappointing.

“We showed good character at the end to get the draw when we were three points down with the last play of the game.

“It was the right decision to go for the posts when we got the penalty. I don’t think we had time to kick to the corner. We could’ve had a tap and go, but we have come away with points from the first fixture of the New Year.

“It showed good character to get that draw because four times we have been in that situation and we have not come away with anything and I think it is a mental block we have now got over as a team.

“Selection for next week will be interesting. [Mike] Waddington, [Alistair] Green, [David] Hopkins, Ollie Longmore, Myles Hall and Mike Kaciubskyj are all available to play so that will drive standards up at training and hopefully drive the standards up on a Saturday too.”

Stockport do remain bottom of the table having now lost 15 of their 17 matches this season, but today was an encouraging start to 2015 for the Red Green and Whites.

In terms of The Bees- who are 12th in the National Two League Division North- they said it wasn’t their finest hour of rugby this season, as Stockport felt they should have taken maximum points from this game.

The hosts were quickest out the blocks and first on the scoreboard after two minutes as Platt-Hughes touched down in the corner after a trademark Elliot Fletcher break. Edwards converted.

It was a slow start from the visitors, but they nearly hit back immediately as a Stockport mistake allowed winger Aquile Smith to break away and he looked certain to dive into the corner, but Platt-Hughes produced an excellent try saving tackle.

Soon after, The Bees did get their first points on the board as Canning slotted over a penalty to reduce Stockport’s lead to four points.

Birmingham and Solihull were starting to go through the gears, but it was Stockport who scored the second try of the afternoon as Millea fought his way over the line after good patient phase play by the hosts. Edwards knocked over the conversion once more.

Port then dominated possession for the rest of the first period confining the game to the midfield, but they just couldn’t find that cutting edge as several handling errors hampered their progress throughout the half. Nevertheless they took an 11 point lead into the break.

Now the challenge was set up yet again for Stockport. Could they hold on to a lead?

On four occasions this season, Stockport have not been able to see out games from a winning position and the signs didn’t look to promising this time around as Johns scored Birmingham and Solihull’s first try of 2015 five minutes into the half. Canning added the conversion.

Port then responded magnificently as Millea crossed over for his second try and Stockport’s third of the day after a great break by centre Jamie Anthony. Edwards pinged over the extras to make the score 21-10.

Edwards then maintained his 100 per cent kicking record for the afternoon as he added another three points to Stockport’s total, but the hosts would see that 13 point lead vanish.

On the hour mark, Venter charged over after nice work by fellow replacement Liam Dunn. Canning converted but then was sin-binned five minutes later along with Stockport flanker Callum Baldwin as they were involved in a punch-up.

With both sides down to 14 men it was all still to play for as the game started to open up and with seven minutes remaining Birmingham and Solihull levelled the scores.

They were awarded a penalty try as Aquile was impeded off the ball as he raced on to a kick through by centre Rodney Petty. Petty kicked the extras with Canning returning to the field just after the try.

This set up a grandstand finale and with 76 minutes on the clock, Canning slotted over a penalty and it looked to be the same old story for Stockport.

But the home side, remained disciplined and strong from the restart as they won the ball and put relentless pressure on the Birmingham and Solihull defence.

Eventually they cracked and the hosts decided to go for the three points and not gamble on kicking for the corner to save a well-deserved two points.

Stockport travel to Preston Grasshoppers next weekend. Kick-Off is 2:30pm at Lightfoot Green.

Click here to listen to Stockport Coach Matthew Bebbington’s full post-match interview on Stockport Rugby Club’s Official AudioBoom account.

Stockport: Fletcher; Cantwell, Platt-Hughes, Anthony, Tennuci; J Edwards, M. Edwards; S Green, Baldwin, K Hibbs; C Hibbs, Roddy; Gill, Millea, Fuller (capt).

Replacements: Nicholson, Graham, Marsland, Eccles, Gaskell

Tries: Platt-Hughes, Millea (2)
Cons: M Edwards (3)
Pens: M Edwards (2)

Birmingham and Solihull: Briggs; Giles, Johns, Petty, Smith; Canning, Williams; Connolly, Scriven, Crane; Goddard (capt), Dacers; Boyce, Finch, Koziot.

Replacements: Kettle, Dunn, Venter, Phillips, Evans

Tries: Johns, Venter, Penalty Try
Cons: Canning (2), Petty
Pens: Canning (2)