Basingstoke 35 pts v Thanet Wanderers 7pts at Pack Lane Jan 19th 2008
Report by courtesy of Basingstoke Gazette.

Stoke got back to winning ways against Thanet with a much improved performance to pick up the two points and in doing so moved one place up the league. Apart from the opening 20 minutes Stoke controlled the game, playing with more discipline and better decision making than seen in the previous two matches and score five tries in the process. It was the visitors that started the better, mainly due to mistakes by Stoke, and could have gone ahead on 5 minutes but missed a penalty. The home team had a penalty reversed on them for foul play at a ruck, lost a scrum against the head 5 metres out and after securing their own line out proceeded to lose the ball. On 11 minutes a Thanet kick into Stokes 22 looked to of been tidied up but the ref awarded the visitors a penalty for coming in at the side of the ruck. As with Stokes winning try last week the visitors kicked to the corner, won the line out and drove to the line for a try. This was duly converted and Stoke behind 7-0. Stoke gradually started to get back in the game and from pressure were awarded 2 penalties within 5 metres from the visitors line but could not put any points on the board. Most of the momentum came from the forwards and perhaps they gave the ball out to the backs to early and more patience was needed. Stoke finally got on the score sheet on the half hour mark after a superb break from Barton. Fielding a kick just outside his own 22 he managed to avoid the chasing players and finding holes in the oppositions defence set off up field. Finding himself in the visitors 22 he looked for support to find Richards and Appleby close at hand. Somehow the defence spoilt the ball and the chance seemed lost until Lillywhite kicked on and Dixon to be on hand to score. Goodall converting and a 7-7 score line remained until the break. With the breeze behind them Stoke had to play in their opponents half and not make mistakes or give away penalties. This is exactly how they started the second half and after good forward pressure Lillywhite spotted a gap to dive over for the score and a Goodall conversion put Stoke 14-7 up. Stoke maintained the upper hand with good work from the forwards, showing more patience than in the first half, and kicking the ball into the visitors when needed. From more sustained pressure Stoke scored on 54 minutes after several phases of play before the ball was released and Richards sneaking through a gap and a Goodall conversion for a 21-7 lead. On 58 minutes Cooper was yellow carded for offside and the visitors, who had rarely got out of their own half, upped their pace. For a brief spell Stoke had to do some defending but soon settled back in the groove stay on top. Reward came for the industrious Appleby on 80 minutes after more sustained pressure that saw Lillywhite nearly score before the flanker finished it off for a converted try and 28-7 advantage to the home side. Stoke wrapped things up on 82 with a great individual try from George Scott. Receiving the ball 35 metres out he burst through a gap before putting in a thrilling sidestep to wrong foot the full back and sprint for the line. I'm not sure who was happier, the player himself or his jubilant father jumping up and down on the side line. Goodall completed 5 from 5 conversions and a 35-7 victory. The line out took a while to settle with the absence of Stirling but got better as the game went on. The forwards kept the ball tighter in the second period which led to tries being scored. The back row functioned better as a unit and Lillywhite varied his game well to have a good game at 9. Barton bounced back to be awarded man of the match. Scott and Richards not only scored a try each but will give selection an interesting edge.

TEAM
Goodall, Lewis, Buckland, Richards, Buttle, Barton, Lillywhite,Young (C), Hawea, Oliver (Folan), Scott, O'Leary, Appleby, Dixon, Cooper (Williams), not used Greenway.