Match Preview

Next week sees the Firsts travel to Hull Ionians for an important game, following 3 successive defeats - albeit 2 of them to top teams, Coventry and Ampthill.

For their part, Ionians' recent results appear to show upward momentum (although losing last week at Esher) with a notable win at home to Blackheath two weeks ago - the week after Blackheath had stunned the whole league by beating Coventry comfortably!

Although by no means Stortford's best performance of the season to date, the home win by 35-31 in the reverse fixture back in September showed Ionians are a hard side to beat and - unlike us - they appear to have suffered very few injuries. Their starting XV against Blackheath showed only one change from the team we played - that being at scrumhalf. Stortford, by contrast have 6 of our then 20-man squad out injured. Having said this, most of the injuries are not new and the squad has shown great resilience and determination in previous games and, with the backs looking more confident and aggressive in possession this week against the might of Coventry, the team, with Baxter Wilson, hopefully making a long-awaited return, will travel in a positive fame of mind. COYB!