Sat 8 Jan 2022
Claverdon RFC extended their unbeaten season to ten games, after a strong first half performance led them to a home victory over a battling Pershore side.
With the two sides sat at opposite ends of the league table, it was always going to be a tough fixture for Pershore, who would have been looking for a strong start. However, it was Claverdon who struck first. A scrum in front of the posts on the Pershore 22 metre line provided an opportunity for Claverdon to attack the large blindside. Winger Sam Turrell was the beneficiary, beating his defender well to score in the corner.
After the early score there was a period of cagey play from both sides. Claverdon built pressure in the Pershore half but were unable to turn it into points as the visitors defended well. However, Pershore’s inability to clear their lines proved costly. Eventually one clearing kick landed in the hands of Max Oxton-Morris, who made the most of the space in front of him to slice through the Pershore defence and score under the posts. Chris Calcott added the conversion.
A clinical Claverdon side then scored two tries in quick succession before the halftime whistle. Centres Chris Calcott and Alex Grove combined well for the first, with Calcott breaking through the midfield and offloading to Grove to touch down. Hilton Garner-Jones then added his name to the score sheet, after Turrell hacked through a dropped ball and fed the supporting Hilton Garner-Jones.
Match report by Mike Jay
