Last-gasp Lea seals dramatic Stour win

By NICK PULLEN

Stourbridge…… 19pts

Hull RUFC……….. 17pts

SUPER Stourbridge snatched a last-gasp victory when rollerball hooker Jack Lea broke Hull hearts by bursting over the line for a dramatic try with the final move of the match.

Hull must have thought they had wrapped up the win when tight-head prop Mike Jobling had been propelled over the Stourbridge try-line moments earlier to go 17-12 in front.

But Stour refused to buckle and spent the remaining minutes camped on Hull's line, before Lea was driven over from a tap penalty attempt. Replacement fly-half Freddie Morgan kept his cool to land the last-kick conversion and the points.

It was hard to see where a score was coming from as both sides defended doggedly in the first half.

Fly-half Michael Penn missed a straightforward penalty shot after 11 minutes in a somewhat error-riddled opening quarter as both sides were guilty of coughing up hard-won possession.

Stourbridge winger Max Fletcher was hauled down close to the line in the 23rd minute, while Hull flanker Laurence Cowen suffered a similar fate four minutes later.

We had to wait until the 38th minute before the deadlock was finally broken as flanker Latu Makaafi went over from a five-metre line-out. Fly-half Simon Humberstone converted to send his side in at the break 7-0 ahead.

Stour started the second half in much more determined manner and camped close to the Hull line. The danger appeared to be averted, but Lea suddenly pounced on a loose ball on the 22 and bulldozed his way over for Penn to convert in the 46th minute.

Hull edged back in front with a Humberstone penalty after 55 minutes. Stour responded with a flowing move down the right flank after 61 minutes, resulting in full-back Mark Harrison racing over to score. Penn missed the conversion.

With time running out, Hull appeared to have won the game when Jobling was shunted over from a catch-and-drive move for Humberstone to convert.

In a dramatic final few minutes, Stour pegged Hull back on their own line, where the visitors were penalised on no fewer than four occasions, before the irrepressible Lea plunged over the line for Morgan to gratefully convert.

The result left Hull director of rugby Gary Pearce fuming. He said: “The penalty count against us was absolutely ridiculous. The referee gave Stourbridge four chances to win the game and I was disappointed with that.

“I was really disappointed with the penalty count overall. It was bad. All I ask for is some consistency. We had done enough to win the game and I'm really proud of my players, especially as we were down to the bare 20 because of Covid-19.”