Not a good start!

Basingstoke 10 pts v Old Colfeians 29 pts

After last weeks' performance FX backed Stoke showed a Jeckle and Hyde character with a poor display against rivals Old Colfeians. There was little evidence of the effort and commitment shown against Richmond and as a result lost this game against a team they should of beaten.
For much of the game there were too many errors from both teams and very little free flowing rugby. It took Stoke three minutes before they got their hands on the ball and their 1st visit into their opponents half saw a penalty which Parsons duly converted for a 3-0 lead.At this stage the visitors were playing a tight game attacking from the fringes of the break down and Stoke were trying to be the more expansive team. For Stoke the new front 5 appeared not to gel particularly in the line out, normally an area of secure ball, nor in securing quick ball at the tackle zone. On 27 minutes after Stoke pressure Appleby appeared to have been driven over the line for a score only for the referee not to give the score. Nearing half time following some good hands, Van Jaarsveld made a lovely break into Colf's 22 drew the last line of defence only for the supporting Luff to drop the pass.

The second half had some scrappy play from both teams until on 49 minutes Colfe's scored their 1st try and conversion for a 7-3 lead.
The second half was again disjointed but turned yet again when ill discipline cost Stoke the loss of Perkins with a yellow card for interfering at a ruck. During the period when Stoke were down to 14 players Colfe's scored a penalty and a converted try to extend the lead to 17-3 by 66 minutes. The try was given as the visitors drove over the line and the ref adjudged a try was scored whilst the Stoke players were clearly not in agreement claiming bodies to have been underneath the ball.
Stoke now started to force the game and began to run the ball out from their own 22. This was a tactic that was rewarded and proved costly. Firstly the reward came when the man of the match Feausi broke two tackles in his 22 to race clear.Nearing the visitors 22 he off loaded to the supporting White who then fed Van Jaarsveld to score under the posts for Parsons to convert for a 10-17 deficit.
Sensing the opportunity to get something out of the game Stoke then attempted to again run the ball from inside their own 22 only for a pass to go to ground and a Colfe's player to be on hand to score an unconverted try on 77 minutes. With the last move of the game a speculative high ball from the visitors was dropped on the home side's 22 and a Colfe's player was again at hand to score under the posts for 7 points. In the final 12 minutes both teams were reduce to 14 men when the ref yellow carded one from each team which was harsh on both players and again added to the start stop game which suited the visitors more. Afterwards Dixon had some harsh words to say, "That was probably the worst display I have been involved in since I have been with Basingstoke.The amount of errors and penalties that we needlessly gave away cost us, as did having yellow cards against us. I will have time to review the video and clarify the areas we need to work on this week. although some are clear already."

Team:Parsons, Luff, Van Jaarsveld, Feausi, White, Lucas, Lilleywhite, Perkins, Evans, Davenport, Wilson (Stirling), Chapman (Capt) (Christie White), Appleby, Dixon, St. Bernard, not used Rees.

link to RFU site