Sat 19 Oct 2024, 15:00
In front of a lively crowd at Mitchell Avenue, Earlsdon RFC battled to a hard-fought 24-14 victory over Stoke Old Boys RFC in a match marked by intense physicality and moments of indiscipline. The large turnout of supporters created an electric atmosphere, with fans lining the touchlines, adding to the tension and excitement of the contest.
The game started with Earlsdon putting Stoke under heavy pressure, which led to Tague slotting a penalty to open the scoring. Shortly after, debutant Spandley ignited the home supporters with a dazzling bit of footwork, crashing over for a try that was converted by Tague. Earlsdon went into halftime with a solid 10-0 lead, buoyed by the vocal home crowd.
After the break, Harris continued his impressive try-scoring form, dancing around the outside to extend the lead, and once again Tague added the extras. Stoke Old Boys fought back with a try of their own, narrowing the gap to 17-7, but Earlsdon’s defensive line stayed resolute, holding up against Stoke’s heavy carriers. A scrum deep in Stoke’s territory led to a well-executed training-ground move, with Lucas finishing in the corner and Tague keeping his perfect kicking record to push the score to 24-7.
The match saw its share of drama when the Stoke fly-half was shown a red card for an unacceptable reaction to a fair tackle. Head Coach Jon Fitt was unimpressed, stating after the game, “That kind of behaviour has no place in rugby.”
Stoke managed a penalty try in the dying minutes, but it was too little, too late, with the final whistle blowing at 24-14. The match was littered with yellow cards, making it hard for either side to find any rhythm.
Despite the on-field chaos, the buzz carried into the clubhouse, where supporters, players, and families gathered to celebrate the win. The bar was packed, with the Earlsdon faithful enjoying the victory well into the evening, sharing drinks and stories about the match.
Coach Jon Fitt praised his side’s defensive efforts but admitted frustration at missing out on the four-try bonus point, saying, “We’ll be working hard this week to sharpen up ahead of our next game away at Southa
