England Counties 29 AIB Ireland Club XV 25

ENGLAND COUNTIES survived a second-half fightback to record their first victory over an AIB Ireland Club XV.

In a eight-try thriller at Stourbridge's Stourton Park, the Counties scored their four - including a hat-trick for London Scottish fullback Frankie Neale - in a whirlwind first half to lead 26-3 ,before the Irish finally found their feet and racked up four in return.

Only the boot of Esher's Sam Ulph, who kicked three conversions to Ireland's Barry Keeshan's one, and some sterling English defence in the dying minutes secured the win at the third time of asking against the Irish.

The Counties, who had lost and drawn their previous encounter against the men in green, got off to a dream start and were 14-0 up inside the first four minutes, with tries from Neale and scrum-half Luke Baldwin.

It took just 90 seconds for Neale to cross the whitewash when Jack Harrison - one of just two starting survivors from the 13-13 draw in Dublin last season - sent him down the wing and he shrugged off two tackles on a 30m run to the line.

Baldwin's try was sheer opportunism, the solid England scrum giving the Blackheath number nine the platform to race from halfway on an angled run to the corner.

Ulph converted both tries and was narrowly wide with his third effort to add the extras to Neale's first try, the full-back getting on the end of Tom Powell's pass after Baldwin had switched play right from a midfield ruck.

By then, fly-half Keeshan had pulled back a penalty for the Irish clubs and they looked set to reduce the gap further when flanker Barry O'Mahony raced away but the pass from the number 10 was forward.

The error proved costly as Neale grabbed his second try just before half-time, Esher's Seb Jewell making the break to send the fullback clear for that 23-point half-time lead and the representative flagship of the County and Community game looked well set for victory.

However, Ireland started the second half better than they had the first, making the most of a lineout close to the England line with Shannon hooker Michael Essex rejoining the maul and being driven over.

By the 55th minute, they were back in the game when winger Stephen Kelly hacked on a loose midfield ball and he was well clear as he dived on it between the posts to give Keeshan an easy conversion.

John Cleary followed suit when he was put away by Daragh O'Shea and, when Kelly added his second in the 70th minute to reduce the gap to four points - Ulph having added a penalty - a tense final 10 minutes was in store.

But the Counties held out and they will head to Lille to face France Amateurs on March 19 on the back of a closely fought win.

England Counties XV: Frankie Neale (London Scottish); Sam Ulph (Esher), Jack Harrison (Tynedale), Seb Jewell (Esher), David Howells (London Scottish); James Brown (London Scottish), Luke Baldwin (Blackheath); John Williams (Tynedale), Joe Graham (Tynedale), Sam Heard (Redruth), Matt Owen (Macclesfield), Tom Bason (Blackheath, capt), Dan Legge (Cambridge), Darren Fox (Cambridge), Tom Powell (Cambridge).

Replacements: Matt Riley (Sedgley Park, for Jewell 58), Matt Hall (Blaydon, for Graham 66), Tom Warren (Esher, for Heard 66), Steve Parsons (Harrogate, for Howells 66).

Not used: Ben Harris (Huddersfield), Alex Nash (Rugby Lions), Tom Richardson (Stourbridge).

Scorers: Tries: Neale (3), Baldwin; Pen: Ulph; Cons: Ulph (3)