The Cup Holders smash locals rivals.

Basingstoke 60pts v Winchester 8 pts

Basingstoke, The Hampshire cup holders preceded into the next round with a thrashing of local league rivals Winchester by the margin of ten tries to one. The Home side started the game well and after only ten minutes of the game they had more or less sealed the game for Basingstoke with an Ian Calder try after a break by Phil Della-Savina getting back to form and a surging Neal Taylor try converted by Calder.

A much changed Winchester side struggled to keep up with the home side but did briefly get themselves into the game with a simple Jeremy Cook penalty. But the Basingstoke three-quarter line were looking dangerous and despite occasional sloppy passing always looked that they had the upper hand on their rivals. Full-back Chris Norton increased Stoke's lead after 18 minutes with another flowing move where the ball was kept alive. Winchester had their best and only spell of the match after this but the refereeing of the ruck lead to trouble and from one skirmish Della-Savina and Moreton of Winchester were sin-binned. The visitors missed a penalty to reduce the deficit and were made to pay with a flowing movement down the left hand side of the pitch which resulted in "man of the match" Gareth Jones diving over in the corner. Calder kicking the conversion. Winchester to their credit game back and the hard work by the forwards was rewarded just before half-time with a try from poor defensive play by Stoke, credited to Rob West.

Half-time Basingstoke 24pts v Winchester 8 pts

Any revival that Winchester thought might occur was again wiped in the first ten minutes of the half, with Stoke getting stronger and stronger, skipper Richard Baker scored a rare forwards try from a lineout where he was driven over and soon after Tom Dean on at scrum-half dummied his way over from a short penalty, Calder converting. It was all Basingstoke now with Winchester rarely in the home side's half. Tries kept coming with Chris Norton completing a hat-trick with good fast running tries, Calder kicking one conversion. Gareth Jones added another after twenty minutes of the half after the Winchester three-quarters were torn to bits by the quick passing of the home side, Calder converting and substitute Rafer Joseph went over to complete the scoring for the Holders who will now face Portsmouth at home in the next round.

Stoke did not have to do much to beat a weak Winchester side. The forwards still are struggling in the tight but are dominating the line-outs where Nigel Hooker reigns supreme. The Back-row of Della-Savina, Reeve and Baker starting to control the breakdown and the three-quarters always dangerous with Ian Calder calling the shots.

NEXT GAME Jan 5th home to Staines (League) ko 2:00 pm

link to RFU site