The visiting CS Rugby 1863 alickadoos had muttered to their hosts at their excellent pre-game lunch that their - seen through their eyes - sometimes infuriating side had the reputation for being National 3 London & South East’s entertainers.

At half time and 22-7 down and with the memory of their brief 0-7 lead now a somewhat distant one, the small visiting contingent in the 400 strong crowd at the grandly and presumably lucratively named Greene King IPA Haberden Stadium were contemplating the second half with a fair degree of degree of apprehension.

In the event that half was to be an amazing see-sawing affair and although the Stags never succeeded in actually getting their noses in front again there were moments when there seemed to be almost an inevitability about it as they ended up 5-3 up on the try count.

But at the death Bury hung on by their fingernails and CS had to be content with just the two bonus points and their reputation as entertainers further enhanced.

It had all started so well for the Stags who after soaking up some early pressure broke from deep to set up the position for Scott Hadden to score with the home side losing a man to the bin at the same time. Far from exploiting that numerical advantage a period of hesitancy followed with Bury being allowed to dominate territorially and reap the benefits of CS’s far too frequent indiscretions. Two well struck penalties meant that the home side won the sin bin period 6-0 and Bury extended their lead to 12-7 on the half hour with a simple drop goal. In the meantime CS’s mercurial out-half had missed a sitter.

In the last five minutes of the half not for the first time Bury took advantage of a badly directed kick followed by some indifferent tackling to register their first try of the afternoon, again converted by their fly-half, who was to lay on a faultless kicking display, and then on the stroke of half time a further penalty provided the aforementioned 22-7 score-line.

The Stags were a lot more purposeful at the start of the second half and were soon awarded a penalty under the posts which was accepted, only for Bury then to extend their lead with a try inevitably converted from the touchline and at 29-10 it was difficult for even the most optimistic CS supporter to see how their side was going to get back into the game.

Not only did they do so, however but so dominant were they over the remainder of it – one critical phase of play apart – that it was looking more likely than not that they would reel Bury in.

The gap was initially narrowed when centre Richard McLaughlin went over after the Stags had opted for a scrum rather than a penalty in front of the posts and had stretched Bury this way and that, the try remaining unconverted however.

With Bury losing a man to the bin again the Stags were now happy to run the ball from anywhere, determined to make that extra man count this time round and soon, after a sweeping move from their own 22, winger Jon Webber went in for another unconverted try.

Bury were now looking decidedly shaky and one could sense their confidence slipping away as they tried to work out where the point of attack might next be. More sleight of hand from Hadden again fixed and confused the defence and this time it was Stuart Peel's turn to dot the ball down in a central position so not only was this the bonus point try but the gap was down to just 29-27 . With a quarter of the game left to play the crowd had gone quiet and it looked very much as if this would after all be the Stags' day.

Fullback James Houstoun who had been causing Bury all manner of problems when coming on to the ball was then crucially denied the opportunity by the referee - who otherwise had had an excellent game - to take a free kick from a mark quickly, when it looked to all intents and purposes as if Bury's backs were going to be severely stretched yet again. When forced to retake it with the home side now regrouped, he failed to find touch and Bury hoisted a kick of their own which was unforgivably allowed to bounce - which it did of course, conveniently or wickedly depending on your perspective - thus allowing a home score, inevitably converted, and Bury who had been wobbling so badly had breathing space again at 36-27 with now ten minutes to go.

The Stags continued to press and immediatelly won the restart, a skill they had been showcasing all afternoon, and when the ball was moved wide it looked as if debutant winger Charles Kabisu might mark his debut with a try but instead he was driven into touch. CS's fifth try of the afternoon was not that long in coming , however , as replacement forward Chris Endersby was able to drive over in the corner with just under five minutes to go : unconverted again so 36-32.

There was to be no change to that scoreline as the frantic home crowd now urged their team on. It had been a mountain just too far for the Stags who had every reason to rue Hadden's comparative lack of success with the boot but also, rather more tellingly, their loose kicking and lapses in defence in the first half. Hadden, although hobbling at the end, had orchestrated some fabulous back play and, oh yes, it had been entertaining all right!

CS Scorers:

Tries:

Hadden
McLaughlin
Webber
Peel
Endersby

Cons:

Hadden(2)

Pen

Hadden