There’s something rather special about Friday night rugby under the floodlights. Add two determined Colts sides, a packed crowd, plenty of noise from the touchlines and a local rivalry, and you’ve got all the ingredients for a cracking evening of rugby!

And what an evening it turned out to be!
Leamington Colts travelled to Stratford-upon-Avon on Friday evening and came away with a fantastic 29-15 victory, but the final score only tells part of the story.

A BIG CROWD, A BIG ATMOSPHERE AND A FLYING START!

There was a brilliant turnout from both clubs, with the stands full of Stratford supporters while the travelling Leamington contingent preferred to get as close to the action as possible, lining the pitch and making themselves heard.

And they certainly made some noise!

The energy was fantastic from the first whistle. Players, substitutes, coaches and spectators were all getting involved, creating the sort of atmosphere that makes grassroots rugby so special.
Of course, it might also have helped that club photographer Ken Pinfold was there, camera at the ready, capturing the action. Were the lads putting on a bit of a show for the camera? Quite possibly!

Whatever the motivation, Leamington came out firing!

Thibaud ‘Thibs’ Servant got the scoreboard moving, crossing the line for Leamington’s opening try. Not content with that, Vaughn du Preez was next to get in on the action, adding another five points and putting the visitors firmly in control and then came Henry Cook, producing a phenomenal run and showing some serious pace to add Leamington’s third try of the evening.

Three tries, plenty of attacking rugby and a travelling crowd who were absolutely loving it! With Harry Unsworth adding a conversion, Leamington headed into half-time with a commanding 17-0 lead.

The travelling supporters were understandably delighted, and the noise coming from the Leamington touchline was enough to make you forget we were the away side!

BUT STRATFORD WEREN’T FINISHED…

If the first half belonged to Leamington, the second half was a reminder of just how competitive Colts rugby can be.

Stratford came back out with renewed determination.
They weren’t about to let Leamington have everything their own way, and with the home crowd getting louder by the minute, the pressure began to build.

A Stratford try brought the score to 17-5.
Then another.
17-10.
And when Stratford crossed the line for a third time, suddenly it was 17-15.
Two points in it! The home supporters were finding their voices, the momentum had shifted and the tension around the pitch was building.

But this is where Leamington showed exactly what they’re made of. Rather than letting their heads drop, the lads dug deep, supported each other and kept fighting.

COMETH THE MOMENT, COMETH THE COLTS! ???

With Stratford pushing hard, Leamington needed something special.
And they delivered.
Following the restart, some fantastic pressure and a brilliant take from Joe Blackwood helped turn the momentum back in Leamington’s favour.
The visitors capitalised, with Louis Proctor crossing the line to extend the lead to 22-15.

And they weren’t finished yet!
In the closing stages, Joe Blackwood produced a fantastic run to score Leamington’s final try of the evening.
15-27
Harry Unsworth stepped up to add the conversion, taking the final score to:

STRATFORD 15 - 29 LEAMINGTON COLTS

What a finish.

After watching a 17-point lead reduced to just two, Leamington had found another gear when it mattered most.

A PROPER TEAM PERFORMANCE

This was never going to be an easy fixture.
Stratford are a strong, physical side who made Leamington work for every point, particularly during that second-half comeback.
But the determination, resilience and teamwork shown by the entire Leamington squad was fantastic.

From the starting XV to the substitutes, every player had a part to play and the support from the touchlines certainly didn’t go unnoticed.

Coach Goochy summed it up perfectly:
“Absolutely class from the whole squad and from the sidelines. It felt like a home game in the first half, that’s how loud it was!
Stratford are a very good, hard team to beat, and they were definitely up for it.
Stratford brought the big boy on, thinking it would make a difference. They just didn’t realise we had our own big boys!!
What a game, what a result. Blood, sweat and tears will also give you a win!”

MORE THAN JUST A SCORELINE
Friday night was a brilliant example of what Colts rugby is all about.
Two competitive teams giving everything, a fantastic crowd supporting from both sides, coaches encouraging every player and a group of young men showing determination, teamwork and resilience.

Credit to Stratford for a fiercely contested game and an impressive second-half fightback.
A huge thank you to everyone who travelled to support Leamington, to the coaches and volunteers who make these fixtures possible, and to Ken Pinfold for capturing some fantastic moments from the evening.

But most importantly, congratulations to every single Leamington Colt who pulled on the shirt.
A dominant first half. A nail-biting second half. A fantastic finish.

And a well-earned league victory!

COME ON LEAMINGTON COLTS!

⸻

? MATCH SUMMARY

Stratford-upon-Avon Colts 15 - 29 Leamington Colts

Away | Friday 9th October 2026
League Fixture.

Leamington try scorers:
Thibaud ‘Thibs’ Servant
Vaughn du Preez
Henry Cook
Louis Proctor
Joe Blackwood
Conversions: Harry Unsworth (2)

Half-time: 0-17
Full-time: 15-29

Five tries. Two conversions. One fantastic Friday night under the lights.