Shropshire Star

Under-strength Oswestry out of the Plate

A much-changed Oswestry bowed out of rugby's North Midlands Plate after succumbing 18-0 at home to Droitwich in the quarter-final.

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The border club, who have finished runners-up in the Cheshire South, had been unstoppable on home surrounds this term, but suffered their first loss at Granville Park.

With a wedding at the club, the Eagles were forced to ring the changes with seven regulars missing.

They handed first-team debuts to a number of emerging Colts, against a Droitwich side who play a level above in Midlands Two West South.

The visitors started on the front foot, with their heavier pack setting up an opening touchdown with an unconverted pushover try in the corner.

For the next half-hour, the Eagles outclassed and outran the Worcestershire side.

There was excellent play from James Anderson, Zac Baldwin and Colts Jack Charmley, who was named Man of the Match, Jon Wills, Ryan Maddocks, Connor Watkins and Tom Henry Jones.

They more than held their own but, following a string of penalties, that elusive try for the home side never came as the heavier pack of Droitwich held firm.

One of these penalties saw the visitors kick deep into the Eagles defence, which culminated in another pushover try for the opposition, this one converted.

The young Oswestry side were desperate for the try, but were frustrated as the referee's whistle stopped the flow of the game.

After the break, Jamie Luckett and Tom Henry Jones appeared as substitutes to bolster the Eagles, but another try and penalty saw Droitwich wrap up an 18-0 win.

With 10 minutes to go, young front row Connor Watkins came on for his first appearance for the Eagles, replacing Scott Double.

Church Stretton ended their Midlands Four West North league campaign in style with an entertaining bonus point 37-22 victory over Barton-under-Needwood.

After a cagey first half, the crowd were treated to an enthralling spectacle in the second period as the Samurai pulled away with some classy tries to win 37-22.

Alex Hearle opened the scoring with a try under the posts and captain Tom Chard, returning to the starting line-up from a shoulder injury, added the conversion.

Barton got five points on the board, but a penalty from Chard made it 10-5 at the interval.

Stretton attacked the wider channels after the interval and Hearle broke through before finding support from winger Danny Harley.

Hearle again cut through the defence to tee up Tom Price and they got the bonus point with their fourth try, scored by Harley.

More individual brilliance from Hearle, plus the sixth try from Doyle, sealed a fine send-off for coach Jason Davis, who is leaving the club after three years.

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