Good Start!

Harlow 0 pts v Basingstoke 24 pts
FX backed Stoke comfortably eased their way through to the Preliminary round of the Powergen Cup with 24-0 victory over Harlow. With only five of last years regular 1st team starting this game the play was disjointed at times but this can only improve as the players start to acclimatise to each other.
After a scrappy first 5 minutes Stoke settled down to play in their opponents half and were rewarded with a penalty on 5minutes which Parsons narrowly missed. On 8 minutes the impressive Feausi made his first impact on the game with one of many good breaks. Continued pressure was nearly rewarded when Lucas, who led the backs well, charged down a clearance on Harlow's 22 and the supporting Appleby could not gather the ball 3 metres from the line.
On 17 minutes Harlow had their first visit in Stoke's 22 where they tried to spin the ball wide and Luff juggled a potential interception but could not gather with the Harlow defence nowhere. Harlow then missed a penalty and that was the last pressure the home side had in the 1st half. On 24 minutes Dixon, who was always in the action, gained a turnover which saw Feausi make the break to feed Luff who scampered to 5 metres out and when the ball was re-cycled Dixon was on hand to bundle over the line and the conversion hit the post for a 5-nil lead. On the half hour mark from a scrum 10 metres out St. Bernard picked from the back fed Appleby who got to 2 metres from the line before knocking the ball on. Not to be put off continued pressure led to the second try when St. Bernard again picked up from a scrum, was tackled on his terms and off loaded to Appleby who was then driven over the line for a converted try to take a 12-nil lead.

The second half was nearly all Stoke and started as early as the 3rd minute when Luff made good ground before being tackled. On 10 minutes Stoke won a Harlow line-out St. Bernard made good ground to Harlow's 22 the ball was re-cycled for Dan Rees, who did not look out of place on his senior debut in men's rugby, was on hand to feed Parsons and then Rogers was on hand to complete the move for the unconverted try.

On 25 minutes Harlow made a break out from their own 22 and with their only real visit into Stoke's half nearly scored in the corner. Stoke then regrouped and spent the rest of the game in the home teams' half. Many half chances were created but the only score was by Rees, converted By Parsons for a 24-0 victory. Player coach Dixon added after "That was a pleasing performance, particularly keeping a clean sheet and an away win. We will need to work on our presentation of the ball and our line-out was not as smooth as normal. There were good debuts from all the players with Feausi being the man of the match." Team:Parsons, Rogers, Feausi, Rees, Luff, Lucas, Byett, Lovegrove (I. White), Evans(capt)(Pack), Davenport, Stirling, Wilson, Appleby, Dixon, St Bernard(Christie White). Reps: Murdoch, D. Jones, Carl White, Ian White, Christie White, Hampson, Pack.
 

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