CS Rugby 1863 51 Basingstoke 38

Graham Clucas reports

Never Mind the Weather As Long as We’re Together

Windy weather at Duke’s Meadows played some part in determining the outcome of this National Division 3 game but not nearly as much as it could - and probably should - have done. Both teams made the somewhat perverse decision to play with ball in hand rather than kicking for position with the wind at their backs : the result, a try fest with fourteen being scored in all!

CS played with the wind in the first half and started with a flourish, running in three tries in fifteen minutes, the third a penalty try making it 19-0 and it looked as though the Stags might run up a big score by half-time.

But no, despite being a man down, Basingstoke rallied well following some indifferent CS line-outs and scored two tries in the next ten minutes, one of which was converted bringing the score to 19-12. A well worked try by CS on the stroke of half time scored by winger, Jon Webber - his second - gave them a 24-12 lead.

CS supporters did not think that lead would be sufficient now Basingstoke had the wind behind them.
“ Stoke” duly scored an unconverted try after five minutes of the second half but the Stags struck back with a try and a penalty : 32-17 with just a quarter of the match to go.

CS then gave away a string of penalties and received a yellow card. Basingstoke seized their chance to score three converted tries to a single unconverted try from CS so the visitors now had their noses 37-38 ahead with just five minutes to go.

It looked as though Basingstoke were firmly in the driving seat although CS had a number of attempts to cross the line ending in failure just short. It seemed though a long way back in that wind! CS stuck to the task of using the forwards to drive the ball forward before releasing the backs to make ground out wide. This paid off with CS scoring two late tries, including a second for Scott Hadden, to take the game 51-38 . It had been a thrilling spectacle with 21 points in all for Hadden and Stoke’s recent three match unbeaten run brought to an end.

CS Rugby 1863 scorers:

Tries:

Houstoun
Webber(2)
Penalty
Turner
Hadden (2)
Springer

Cons:

Hadden (4)

Pen:

Hadden