Basingstoke 22 pts v Bracknell 53 pts Home Sept 23rd at Pack Lane

'Stoke went into this third league match of the season on the back of two disappointing performances resulting in one heavy defeat and a scrappy victory over Bracknell. 'Stoke entered this match against Cleve, a relatively unknown package, with a lot to prove, on a sunny day in front of a large home crowd, here to see the opening of the new stand. The game started well for 'Stoke when fly half Rutherford made a clean break from 25 metres out to set up a three on one with the defending fullback. The chance was pounced upon and Appleby went over next to the posts for the first points of the game. Rogers missed the conversion to leave the score 5-0 after 4 minutes. On 6 minutes Cleve levelled the scores after a kick from outside the 'Stoke 22 went out on the full gave them a good attacking lineout 25 metres from the 'Stoke line. This opportunity was taken full use off after a cross field kick was collected in the corner for Cleve's first points of the game. Again the conversion was missed and the score remained 5-5. On 10 minutes Cleve doubled their score after consecutive penalties allowed Cleve to kick to touch within ten metres of the 'Stoke goal line. From the resulting line out Cleve set up a rolling maul and went over for their second try of the game. This time the conversion was made, and this took the score to 12-5. Just 2 minutes later 'Stoke had pulled the game back level, after an adventurous Cleve back line tried a dinky chip from inside their own 22. This daring move backfired when Jim Dixon charged down the kick, and pounced on the lose ball, and made a strong 20 metre run fending off the defender with ease, to score under the posts. This time Rogers made no mistake with the conversion and levelled the score at 12-12. On 20 minutes 'Stoke number 8 Tom Northcote was sin binned for punching the Cleve fly half after a blatant stamp on the head of full back Grant Murdoch was let off by the referee.
For the rest of the half 14 man 'Stoke struggled against a well organised Cleve team, and in a 20 minute stint of constant pressure, and some dubious calls from the referee, Cleve had run in another two tries one of which being converted, leaving the half time score 24-12.

After a stern half time talk 'Stoke came out a changed side, and were starting to dominate the rucks and scrums, but never used this domination to any of their advantage and on 50 minutes 'Stokes task was made even harder when Cleve scored a drop goal to take the score to 27-12, and then on 55 minutes the game was all but lost when Cleve scored another try to increase the deficit to 32-12. With twenty minutes to go 'Stoke gave themselves a glimmer of hope when their first period of sustained pressure earned them a penalty in the Cleve half which 'Stoke took quickly, and fed young Carl Buttle who used his pace to take him over in the corner for a well earned first senior try. A tricky conversion was missed and the score remained 17-39. The next ten minutes saw Cleve put the game out of reach when numerous missed tackles and a lack of responsibility in the backs allowed Cleve to run in two converted tries to take the score to 53-17. On 41 minutes 'Stoke scored a consolation try through fly half Myles Rutherford. Rogers missed another tricky conversion to leave the final score 53-22.

Cleve had a former Springbok at number 9 who bossed his forwards and gave his backs a good supply of ball. Combine this with a former Bristol player as their player coach in the centre plus Mike Catt's brother at full back, the visitors used the ball wisely when in possession. Dixon who led by example and was given player of the day for his efforts added "That was a very disappointing performance, especially as we have not been beaten at home in the league since the first game of last season. Once again our penalty count was too high and too many tackles were missed. We also put ourselves under pressure by ill discipline as for the third league game on the trot we have had a yellow card and have to compete with seven forwards for 10 minutes."

Team: G Murdoch, K Buttle, O Rogers, M Lucas (T Richards), G Jones, M Rutherford, A Byett, N Young (S Lovegrove), A Rowlands, S Murphy (N Young), Ross Sterling, R Northcote, J Dixon, S Appleby (Caan Childs), T Northcote.