CS produced their most disciplined second half performance of the season and there was even a slight suggestion that they may have been playing to a game plan in the second half : that novel one involving getting into the opposition’s territory and then looking after the ball once one has secured it whilst probing for openings, nothing terribly sophisticated therefore but a wise plan nonetheless!

The Islanders had come to Duke’s Meadows as the new bottom side in National 3 London & South East with their hosts just three rungs better placed and plainly this was likely to be as important a pre-Christmas game in the relegation stakes as any.

Guernsey had the advantage of the slight westerly on what was a mild November day and the early exchanges suggested that the sides were indeed pretty evenly matched. After an exchange of penalties, two to Guernsey, one to the Stags, the first really significant act of the game was a scintillating Stags’ backs try made by the wonderful running line taken by Anthony Hitchcock who was well supported by his centre partner, Ross McClyman. It was not long before the Islanders were back in the lead with their third penalty, however, and an old CS failing, an inability to clear their lines when they had had every opportunity to do so, then presented the visitors with the chance to score in the corner and extend it to 8-14.

Had the away team got further ahead at that time the advantage of the breeze and playing towards the tennis courts – or perhaps that ought to be towards the new all-weather surface under construction – might have disappeared. As it was, it was the Stags who recorded a second Scott Hadden penalty to be only 11-14 down at the break. That on its face was a reasonably promising position to be in but memories of what had happened in the second half at Tring when the natural advantages were considerably more pronounced were all to recent.

This time the Stags knuckled down and - whilst the second half was far from pretty - the most important features were that very little of it was played in their half and that a strong tackling effort saw to it that the visitors were unable to add to their existing points tally.

The critical score came from a very rare animal indeed in recent CS history – the days of Reed and Gore seem a little while ago now! – a driving maul! This had its comic side as the ref was on the deck as Tom Williams went over and the decision appeared to owe as much to Guernsey’s acceptance of what had pretty obviously occurred - the prop was well clear of any other bodies - as to any ability on the ref’s part to see either over his shoulder or through his legs. Either way, the try was awarded and Hadden’s conversion took the score to 18-14.

The Stags continued to play surprisingly sensibly and a further Hadden penalty extended their lead to an almost comfortable seven points which winning margin, whilst it did not represent clear water, was comfortably their biggest of the season to date! Guernsey, although deepest in the relegation mire, did not look like the league’s weakest side and there will be more thrills and spills to come no doubt.

CS 1863 scorers:

Tries:

McClyman
Williams

Con : Hadden

Pens: Hadden (3)