Basingstoke 10 pts v Sutton & Epsom 22 pts at Pack Lane,Basingstoke Dec 1st 2007
Report by courtesy of Basingstoke Gazette.

Stoke suffered another home defeat 22-10 conceding two late tries on 75 and 80 minutes. Like many of the games this season this was a match that they could have won and taken the two points but somehow ended up with nothing. On what was at times some awful weather both sides did well to put on a positive display of rugby with Sutton playing the conditions better and not making as many mistakes particularly under the high ball. Stokes cause was further hampered when on 33 minutes young Dan Argent had to leave the field with an ankle injury to add to the number 10 situation. The first quarter of the game was spent adjusting to the conditions and a lot of handling mistakes on both sides. The visitors had the better field territory and Stoke at times defended resolutely to keep their line intact. The visitors finally opened the scoring on 28 with a penalty and a 3-0 lead. Stoke came back and on 31 Goodall narrowly missed a chance to gain parity with a kick into the stiff breeze.

With the half time score 3-nil to the visitors Stoke were now to play with the wind in the second half and got off to brilliant start. On 42 minutes Stoke had a line out just inside the visitors 22 which Stirling duly won. Buckland, now playing at 10, fed Appleby on the 22 to burst through the defence, wrong foot the full back and dive for the score. Goodall added the extras and the home side were looking good at 7-3 up.

For the next quarter it was Stoke who began to dominate with good driving mauls but often came to nothing due to handling errors and the visitor trying to run the ball back. The final quarter was to prove decisive with the visitors scoring 3 tries. The first of these was on 62 when having built some momentum they converted pressure into points with a converted try and lead 10-7. Credit to Stoke who came back with a good spell of play and got back on level terms with a Goodall penalty on 67. Having got themselves back in the game Stoke went into one of their "foot off the gas mode" and allowed the visitors to dominate the last 10 minutes. Without a recognised kicker Stoke found it difficult to clear from their own 22 and twice when they tried to, the ball went straight to their winger and the counter attacks were presented with 2 tries. The first was slightly lucky as the Sutton winger stopped the ball with his foot which then bounced kindly into his hands. He set off infield and eventually the ball was fed to the visitor's number 13, who showed his class with a splendid side stepping break and a converted try for a 17-10 lead on 74. Stoke were now battling to get out of their 22 and on 80 minutes another clearance kick went into the arms of the waiting winger who this time set off down the touch line to set up the final unconverted try for a 22-10 win. Stoke were again good in the set pieces and the back row is playing as a unit with Cooper having a splendid game. Buckland and Russell looks a good centre pairing, Lilywhite being named man of the match, but still need to resolve the number 10 berth to fit the jig-saw together.

Dixon adding afterwards "Once again I can't fault the effort for most of the match but it was our lack of mental toughness that let us down to-day. We need to finish things off when we have the chance to and not allow the opposition to come back at us."