Shottery are gutsy in defeat - The Stratford Observer

Shottery are gutsy in defeat

Stratford Editorial 29th Oct, 2014 Updated: 28th Oct, 2016   0

Keresley 36 Shottery 10

SHOTTERY succumbed to a second defeat on the trot on Saturday but they went down with a gutsy performance against league opposition.

The Shottery squad, which had been decimated by an outbreak of ‘flu’, was grateful to both Wellesbourne and Stratford for supplying a number of players to make up the numbers, albeit the starting team comprised 13 forwards.

Shottery also welcomed back Richie Harrison and Mike Birkinshaw after periods of enforced absence.




Shottery found themselves 19-0 down after 20 minutes and it looked as though Keresley were going to rack up a cricket score. The Keresley fly half – Rob Andrew – was the real difference between the teams, scoring two solo efforts, although his goal kicking did not match up to that of his illustrious namesake.

However, the second quarter was pretty much all Shottery, with the pack causing their opponents all sorts of problems, in particular in the scrums where the Keresley eight were shunted backwards at speed on more than one occasion.


Eventually this pressure told as another scrum was driven on for number 8 Dan Campbell to have an easy touchdown. Just before half time, Keresley scored another try through their pacy back line to make the score 24-5.

The second half continued in much the same manner, with Shottery dominating up front and the Keresley backs running in two more tries, despite the best efforts of Seb Aylard and Andy Houghton in the centres.

Once again, Shottery refused to lie down and fought back bravely. A second pushover try looked on the cards until the referee blew for an infringement.

Nevertheless, Shottery immediately won the ball back and Campbell crashed over for his second try of the game.

Afterwards Shottery skipper Simon Lee said: “We toughed it out against a good team. The pack in particular today was outstanding.”

Shottery’s next fixture is likely to be a Friday evening floodlit game at Shipston on November 7. Any players or supporters who would like to join the Shottery experience should contact Eugene on 07725 424146 for details.

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