Stoke slump!

Basingstoke 24 pts v Barking 50 pts

Basingstoke let a great chance of 2 points slip on Saturday falling at home to another team lower than them in the league. The FX-backed side weren't short of chances, but failed to make them count. Basingstoke as they have in many of their games started the better team and were rewarded when Neal Taylor scored a drop-goal after 3 minutes. However they immediately lost their lead and were never to regain it. First ill-discipline gave Justin Azzopardi an easy penalty and then Barking scored a well worked converted try under the posts. Stoke responded well and after Ian Calder missed two kickable penalties, Fraser Jones eventually broke the deadlock to pull the scores level when he scored under the posts after a speculative kick from Calder fell kindly for him. These were however to be Stokes last points of the half as their defence continually let them down and attacks broke up just as they were looking promising. This led to Barking scoring 3 more tries to take a 27-10 lead into half-time. The first came when Calder attempted a clearance that was charged down. As he attempted to retrieve the ball he was blatantly pulled back, but the Referee failed to see it and Barking scored out wide. The next two were very similar as missed tackles by Basingstoke enabled players to score in the corner, one of which was converted. Stoke did launch an attack towards the end of the half, but consecutive lineouts in the oppositions 22 lead to nothing.

An unconverted try 5 minutes into the second half and an easy converted penalty all but won the game as Barking stormed into a 35-10 lead. Credit to Basingstoke though as they launched a spirited comeback. This was aided when the referee showed a Barking back-row the yellow card. From the following penalty Fraser Jones crashed through for his second try. Jones completed his hat-trick 5 minutes later when he pounced on a chip through from Calder. Calder converted them both to put Stoke back in the game 35-24 down. Basingstokes comeback was then stopped in it's tracks when captain Richard Baker was harshly sin-binned. As Barking returned to full strength they slowly edged away with a penalty. Barking finished the game off with two tries and 14-men. They scorred two well worked tries, one of which was converted , before deep into injury time a punch-up erupted and Barking second row Marcer Twydell was sin-binned.

After a disappointed Calder said "After the last few weeks performances and the opportunity to beat a team from below us in the league this game was a backwards step. We worked hard in training but didn't deliver on the day. Too many tackles were missed and it took us 60 minutes to get our rucking game to the intensity needed. Steve Drawbridge was given the man of the match award but collectively and individually we let ourselves down."

Team: S.Collinns, M.Evans, S.Buttle (R.McKinnie), S.Drawbridge, N.Hooker, M.Reeve, R.Baker (Capt), K.Chapman (A.Wilson), T.Dean, I.Calder, F.Jones (Y.Cullum), N.Taylor, J.Reese (B.Kirwan), R.Joseph, D.Lambert.

NEXT GAME Saturday 16th November away to Redruth,National 3 South. k.o 2:30 pm.
                

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