Stroud let play-off chance slip away (From Stroud News and Journal)

Stroud let play-off chance slip away

Stroud v Clevedon Stroud 27pts, Clevedon 29pts

STROUD saw their faint hopes of a promotion finally vanish as South West 2 West leaders Clevedon produced an impressive second half rally to snatch a narrow victory at Fromehall Park on Saturday.

A 20-8 interval lead had encouraged hopes that Stroud might yet snatch a play-off place. But it was not to be as injuries and weary legs took their toll after the break.

While Clevedon stepped up a gear in the closing 40 minutes Stroud visibly waned and a litany of handling errors on a hard, dry bumpy pitch accelerated their downfall.

In the end they looked a shadow of the side that had toppled Old Pats to win the Gloucestershire Roadchef County Cup 10 days earlier and perhaps those exertions had taken their toll because Stroud were way below their best for most of the game.

Forced to make three key changes in the backs, Rob Woolf, Stuart Locke and Richard Williams replacing Adrian Hand, Brian Pearse and Nick Warren respectively, Stroud rarely showed the fluency of running and handling they had displayed on that occasion and Clevedon took full advantage.

Having already beaten Stroud 15-12 at home, the visitors began confidently, full-back Mike Lowis kicking them in front from a second minute penalty. However, Stroud gradually began to settle, the forwards winning good ball to set up moves which might have brought at least two tries, but for some desperate cover defence and poor handling.

Having already turned down one kickable penalty, Stroud pulled level when Julian Harry was on target with a 30-metre kick and with hooker Rupert Wakefield taking three strikes against the head and flankers Stuart Cale and Adam Tarplee foraging productively they had the edge for the rest of the half.

Scrum-half John Farr broke from a scrum to set up a chance which saw Locke knock on with the line at his mercy and Stroud's inability to make the most of their chances was punished in the 31st minute when Tarplee's misplaced pass was snapped up by the Clevedon backs, who moved quickly left and then cross-kicked inside for winger Tom Thie to win the race for the touchdown.

Lowis missed the conversion and for the rest of the half it was all Stroud as they forced the visitors back under sustained pressure.

Harry reduced the arrears with a second penalty and Stroud finally took the lead in the first minute of time added on as fly-half Steve Thompson sent Harry through the middle to combine well with Jerry Perrins and when the ball was recycled Perrins powered his way over, Harry's conversion putting Stroud 13-8 ahead.

Then seven minutes into time added on Stroud surged forward again. Wakefield and James Bashford were held up close to the line and when Farr's break was stifled, the ball was switched left for Thompson to grub-kick through a flat defence and chase through to get the touchdown.

Harry's conversion extended the interval lead to 20-8 and Stroud looked to have established a winning position, but the second half proved a different story as Clevedon came out determined to turn the tide.

With just three minutes gone Chris Cates caught Thompson's deep kick and ran through untouched to send No 8 James Shopland on a run to the line and although he was brought down, Clevedon kept up the pressure and eventually centre Tim Brooks sliced through the home defence to score near the posts.

Lowis converted to make it 20-15 and although Stroud brought John Allen and Andy Westley on for Cale and Woolf, they had lost the initiative and their play reflected it. With 63 minutes gone Clevedon regained the lead when scrum-half Neil O'Rourke chipped down the line and when Farr was beaten by an awkward bounce, O'Rourke gathered to send Shopland rampaging through for their third try which Lowis again converted.

Stroud responded briefly to gain a penalty chance to go back in front, but instead Farr chose to take a tap and a turnover put Clevedon on the offensive again.

With Stroud visibly flagging, Clevedon stretched their advantage with a fourth try in the 68th minute. A grub-kick through from inside their own half caught Stroud standing still and when the visitors regained possession Cates was put clear to score unchallenged, Lowis adding the conversion.

Stroud brought Tom Burcher on for Harry and tried to rally again but their running lacked conviction and cohesion and a couple of promising moves came to nothing when the ball went to ground.

In injury time Farr produced one last flourish when he took a quick penalty and then threw out a long raking pass for Williams to force his way over, Westley converting well to cut the deficit to two points but by then it was too late and Clevedon clung on to a hard-earned win.

Stroud: Woolf (58, Westley), Locke, Perrins, Harry (73, Burcher), Williams, Thompson, Farr, R Bashford, Wakefield, Jarrett, Davey, J Bashford, Cale (50, Allen), Tarplee, Shipton.

Clevedon: Lowis, Thie, Vails, Brooks, Cates, O'Rourke, Johnson, Dunn, Tucker (51, Gallagher), Dauncey, Pearce, Durant, Page, Biggins, Shopland. Reps (not used): Hill, Fox.

Referee: Allan Taylor.