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Staffordshire progress in National Under-20 Championship
by Paul Bolton
Staffordshire booked their place in the Midlands final of the National Under-20 Championship with a last-gasp 18-15 win over Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire in the semi-final at Lichfield.
Staffordshire, who were beaten national semi-finalists last season, encountered stiff resistance from an injury-depleted NL&D side and required two tries in the final quarter from full-back Ashley Patterson (Wolverhampton) to progress.
Patterson's winning try came in the second minute of stoppage time after sustained forward pressure eventually wore NL&D down and the Three Counties were reduced to 13 men by the sin-binning of flanker Tom Warren (Nottingham) for killing the ball.
NL&D ended the game with only 13 players on the pitch as Nottingham prop Tom Carly was sent-off for receiving a second yellow card.
NL&D, runners-up to North Midlands in Midlands Group B, were without around half-a-dozen first choice players including Nottingham tighthead prop Tom Kirk who suffered fractured ribs playing for his club last weekend.
They fell behind to an early try from Staffordshire flanker Dominic Taylor (Burton) who broke away from a driving maul and was left with an unimpeded run to the line.
But the Three Counties hit back strongly with lock Laurence Pearce (Nottingham) Paviors flanker Danny Pickersgill and left wing Joe Teager (Nottingham) featuring prominently in some excellent attacking rugby that produced two tries in nine minutes for the hard-working Warren.
James Barnard (Nottingham) improved the first try and Staffordshire briefly regained the lead when centre Greg Massey (Lichfield) slotted a 34th minute penalty.
There was little between the sides for much of the second half but NL&D lost momentum while Carly was off the pitch for his first yellow card.
Staffordshire eventually worked an overlap for Patterson's first try, but NL&D were back in front within five minutes when Staffordshire drifted off-side and Barnard landed the penalty.
But Staffordshire were not to be denied and they made their numerical advantage count with another thrust down the left wing which gave Patterson sufficient space to squeeze in for the winning try.
Staffordshire will now meet North Midlands in the Midlands final which will decide who goes forward to the national semi-finals.
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