Not bad, but too many errors!

Basingstoke 14 pts v Worthing 33 pts

This was a much improved performance by the FX backed Stoke team from the first encounter against league leaders Worthing and if had not been for silly errors then Stoke would of been much closer than the score line reflects. The damage was done in the first half with the visitors opening up a 28-3 lead with 4 tries a conversion and 2 penalties to a solitary Calder penalty. As early as the fifth minute a poor attempt at a chip on Stokes own line resulted in a Worthing score and when you add a bouncing ball beating a Soke winger for a touchdown then 12 points were given away cheaply. To add to mistakes a poorly directed clearance straight to a Worthing player resulred in a return of 7 points. Against any side you can not give away points and when the visitors scored in the last minute of the first half Stoke were always going to find it hard work.

The start of the second half, for the first 25 minutes, saw stoke at their best. They took the game to Worthing and made them look an ordinary side. The forwards were winning ball and the backs exploiting space. Due to the pressure the visitors conceeded penalties which Stoke used to find field positions or to kick at goal. Calder happily taking advantage of two chances to reduce the defecit to 28-9. Stoke continued to pressure the visitors in their 22 and were rewarded after several passages of play with Dixon crashing over for 5 points. The last fifteen minutes saw Worthing come back into the game and this was not helped by Appleby being harshly yellow carded, with Wilson having the same decision earlier on. As a result Worting added another try late on but this still left Stoke winning the second half 11-5 and wondering what might of been but for the silly errors in the first half.

Dixon added "The second half was great and we competed well. We need to work hard individually over the next two weeks before we come back as a team to prepare for two crucial games against Thanet and London Nigerians. They are must win games for us."

Team: Lucas(Chimbima), Rogers, Calder, Feausi , Buckland, Berti , Lilleywhite, Perkins(White), Dixon, Bussati, Wilson(Williams), Stirling, Northcote, Appleby, Hampson.

link to RFU site