This was yet another last gasp win for the Stags and - with the last act of the game being a not too difficult Westcliff penalty attempt - the mass exhalation of breath as that kick went wide was palpable.

It had been something of a tragicomedy throughout with noble intentions all too often undone by farcical execution. Westcliff had been allowed a 12 point start in the first quarter courtesy of some fairly feeble tackling. This was then reeled in in the blink of an eye as the home backs struck first from deep with some heads-up and exact passing and this score was then more or less immediately followed by a length of the field interception try. The Stags could count themselves somewhat lucky at 14-12.

Having seemingly woken up, it was time to switch off again as Westcliff exploited a large blindside from a set-scrum to retake a lead that lasted a few minutes only as the Stags sliced effortlessly through the middle for another seven pointer and 21-17. Had CS at last got a grip? Not a bit of it: whether there was still lead in the boots from the week before or not, their defence was at that juncture porous and Westcliff finished the half with another try of their own for the score to stand at 21-24.

It had been a remarkable half with the ball in play for far longer than the norm. There had been very few penalties awarded and even fewer line-outs. Indeed remarkably the final tally for line-outs at the end of the game was a paltry eleven.

The respective coaches presumably had a word or two to say at half time and really the harum scarum stuff just had to stop and so it indeed did but only up to a point. Both sides were now showing more conventional attributes except when it came to goal kicking with the kickers guilty of a fairly excruciating miss apiece.

The Stags were having slightly the better of things and came close on a number of occasions but their inability to put boot on leather looked as if it might cost them dear : the prevailing light westerly was crying out to be exploited penning the opposition back. But the - in the event decisive – try did eventually come with just a minute and a half of the game to go, with CS this time working the ball neatly through the hands on the narrow side. With the conversion missed that meant they had now edged into the lead a third and final time 26-24.

All the Stags had to do now was look after the ball from the re-start and putting the ball somewhere deep in the opposition’s half when they had the chance to do so would have seemed a sensible proposition too. The opportunity to do just that appeared to present itself more than once but the aerial route was not taken and eventually, as is so often the way, a penalty was conceded. The outcome of the game hung on it but fortune was again with the home side.

CS Rugby 1863 scorers:

Tries:

Lavea
Flynn
Remington (2)
O’Halloran

Cons :

Killeen (3)