Stoke on Trent 29-5 Silhillians

With the weather conditions threatening last Saturday’s match, Sils were reluctant to call it off.

But, having been given the go-ahead to play, in hindsight a postponement may have been more beneficial.

From the outset Stoke were by far the more aggressive side and scored a try, with conversion, inside three minutes of the kick-off.

Sils responded with plenty of endeavour of their own but were disadvantaged minutes later when Steve Hall went off after suffering a shoulder injury which will put him out for the remainder of the season.

Picking themselves up from this blow, Sils continued to battle and thirteen minutes into the first half Matt Lee put the ball on the try line, but failed to convert, leaving the the visitors with a slender 7-5 lead.

But the momentum was short-lived and within a minute Stoke had found a way through the Sils defence to score their second try, which was duly converted.

Sils again regrouped and, defending better and holding on to the ball well, managed to keep Stoke on the run for several minutes before another momentary lapse in concentration cost them dearly – Stoke taking full advantage to put another try on the board for a 19-5 lead after 28 minutes.

As the interval approached, Alex Roper was yellow carded and spent the remainder of the half on the sidelines.

But some more resolute defending prevented Stoke from breaching their defence again before the break.

And in the second half, with a couple of substitutions adding fresh legs, Sils continued in the same defiant manner.

They got into the last quarter without shipping any more scores but could not hold out to the end as Stoke added two late tries.