|
Stoke continue promotion challege! Penryn 15 pts v Basingstoke 45ts at Penryn,Cornwall 28th January 2006
In a game vital for 'Stoke to keep their promotion hopes alive, they made the three day journey to struggling Penryn. In a howling and cold wind, 'Stoke won the toss and choose to play up hill into the wind. After 20 minutes of weather permitting rugby, the decision to play into the wind seemed to be paying off as Simon Buckland crossed the line finishing off an overlap created from continues pick and goes from the 'Stoke forwards. 'Stokes five point lead was soon cancelled out as Penryn used the wind to pin 'Stoke in their 22 and soon turned the pressure into points. The wind aided in the conversion and allowed Penryn to take a two point lead. The lead was soon extended after poor discipline on 'Stokes behalf allowed a penalty shot from the 10 metre line. The kick was successful and the Penryn lead was extended to 10-5, after 27 minutes. After ten minutes of yet more restricted rugby due to the wind, that led to many errors, particularly from the visitors when in attack. 'Stoke finally started to look the better side and launched many promising counter attacks from their own twenty two and on 34 minutes Oliver Rogers broke from 50 meters metres out to level the scores, after good play by Lambert. At this time 'Stoke were starting to dominate play, and created many chances to take the lead. It was in the 40th minute when 'Stoke did finally regain the lead, through a Humberstone penalty for a half time lead of 13-10. The second half saw 'Stoke playing with the elements in their favour. They made immediate use of the weather with easy territory gained from a big Humberstone boot, which saw 'Stoke take an 8 point lead through a Dave Lambert try created from yet more good forward work. Humberstone soon increased the lead with his second penalty of the match. Just five minutes later 'Stoke increased their lead through a second try from Buckland. Humberstone added the conversion to take the score to 28-10. 'Stoke were soon into the thirties with a second try from Lambert on 65 minutes converted by Humberstone for a 35-10 margin for the visitors. In the 70th minute Penryn salvaged some hope through an unconverted try, only for first Russell Northcote, and then player coach Dixon to hit straight back with two tries. Northcote's coming from a charge down and then a sprint to the line from the twenty two the second coming from a rehearsed line out move. Although Stoke were not at their best, and did not play as much fluent rugby as they are capable of, they were always the better side. Unforced errors often meant that potential points were not always converted from the efforts and dominance created.
After Dixon added "Another two points and job done. We still need to dominate
and put pressure into points. As always it was good to have many supporters to
make the long journey and be rewarded with a style of play that is both positive
and attractive to watch. This is what the players work at on training nights and
are producing on match days." |