Basingstoke win again!

Basingstoke 38 v Oxford Harlequins 9 at Pack Lane, Nov 5th 2005

Jim Dixon admitted his Basingstoke side were told they "needed to get back to basics" during their interval pep talk against Oxford Harlequins and felt they were able to impose their superiority once they acted upon the command. A bitty first 40 minutes, the highlight of which was fly-half Carl Marshall's try, converted by Simon Humberstone, to round off six phases of coherent 'Stoke play, saw Dixon's men end up 7-6 ahead at the break, which they knew wasn't good enough against beatable opposition. So the 'Stoke ranks responded positively to the half-time admonishment and raised their game to run in four more tries, courtesy of Russell Northcote, Simon Appleby, Andy Wilson and Ollie Rogers.

Player coach Dixon said afterwards: "It's followed the pattern of the last three weeks, when we've played into the worst conditions in the first half and not really played as well as we can probably by trying to be a bit too expansive before stepping up our game in the second half." The 28 year old number eight forward added: "Another thing today we had to get out of our minds was, in the dressing room before the game, some of the guys were saying they weren't worried about Oxford and we'd easily get the win. Confidence is good to have but you still have to produce on the paddock and we weren't doing that in the first half but once we got back to basics and focused properly, we played as we can and should play. We've again scored some good tries and could have had more. But the main thing is we are achieving and building a winning run." Two Oxford penalties the second after Matt Lucas was harshly sin binned for what the referee deemed to be a professional foul in denying Oxford a try scoring chance as the centre cut out a pass in an offside position gave them their six points. A nasty looking neck injury to Oxford hooker Halsall at the end of the half saw a sizeable delay while he was treated, before an ambulance was called, leading to the match switching to the second team pitch.

As a far narrower pitch, playing on it seemingly had the effect of further concentrating 'Stoke's collective approach. Simon Humberstone, deservedly man of the match after an impressive display at full back and scorer of 13 points, added his first penalty of the day on 42 minutes to put 'Stoke 10-6 ahead. But after Oxford's Gustafsson reduced arrears to within a point again 10 minutes later, 'Stoke steamrollered their visitors. Outside centre Simon Buckland's strong, incisive burst over 30 metres was well supported by his team mates and, recycling three times, it led to second row Northcote who, along with Ross Stirling, had an excellent game in the lineout, popping up at the right place at the right time to receive the pass and power through from 10 metres. Humberstone converted to make it 17-9 on 55 minutes and five minutes later captain Appleby got his customary score, following a quickly taken tap penalty, awarded after Stirling was impeded in a lineout five metres out, to bundle over from close range when play was spread left. Two more points followed from the boot of Humberstone and, on 70 minutes, young scrum half Jamie Fish's vision led to Andy Wilson running in an easy score that was converted. Nate Mantle replaced Northcote, as did Rogers for Gareth Jones, and it was the Norwegian international who wrapped things up for 'Stoke a 30 metre charge down the left flank to the corner completing another flowing move involving Appleby and Dave Lambert before the off load to Rogers.

Dixon afterwards paid tribute to front row men Simon Lovegrove (knee) and Shane Murphy (ankle), injury doubts all week but who put their bodies on the line on Saturday at Down Grange. Big Irish prop Murphy said it was the treatment he got from his trainer Larry during the week that helped his recovery and Dixon commented: "We had to carry the front row boys a bit but they both wanted to play and all credit to them for that. It just shows their commitment to the team and the club."

'Stoke: Simon Humberstone, Dave Lambert, Simon Buckland, Matt Lucas, Gareth Jones (rep Ollie Rogers 73 mins), Carl Marshall, Jamie Fish; Shane Murphy (rep Roland Everill 77mins), Simon Lovegrove, Phil Perkins, Andy Wilson, Russell Northcote (rep Nate Mantle 73 mins), Ross Stirling, Simon Appleby, Jim Dixon.

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