Stoke finished their season with a comprehensive victory and scoring 7 tries in the process for another away win by 41 points to 5.

            With the home side now safe from relegation and Stoke not able to make the play offs both sides played an open style reflected in no penalties were kicked at goal but instead played for position or taken quickly. This led to some enterprising handling but the continuity was at times error strewn by both teams.

            Champion backed Stoke were the 1^st on the offensive putting early pressure on the home side but came to nothing as two promising forays were ended by a knock on and a forward pass.

            Stoke opened the scoring on 6 minutes with a simple but effective try. A scrum on half way saw Fish break blind to feed to Ford who put Kelly away to finish with a try in the corner and a 5-0 lead.

            The score was doubled on 15 minutes following a line out on halfway; Humberstone gave a lovely inside pass to Ford to burst through the gap but was stopped 10 metres out. The Stoke scrum disrupted the resultant home sides put in and Hicks fed Ford to cross the line and the conversion hitting the post for a 10-0 lead. 

            Haywards Heath then had a period of pressure and only resolute defence kept them at bay coupled with the positive attitude of the home side to not kick for goal on several occasions.

            It was the visitors that ended the 1^st half once more on the front foot and following a good break by May-Miller on 35 minutes Stoke camped in the oppositions 22. They made the break through on 38 minutes following a line out 15 metre from the line when Humberstone made the break and looked to have scored after being tackled into the post pad but was not given. From the ruck that followed Fish did one of his burrowing jobs to touch down and with Humberstone adding the extras it was a 17-0 half time lead.

            The opening period of the 2^nd half saw Stoke playing most of the rugby but too often a knock on or forward pass gave away possession and it was an error that led to the home side scoring on 47 minutes. With Stoke applying pressure on the 22 an interception saw the home side break out with a 40 metre break from one of their props. When finally tackled he was able to recycle the ball and a score wide out on the opposite wing reduced Stoke lead to 17-5.

            Stoke responded from the re-start by winning the ball and good hands saw progress to the 22 and a penalty. Once more the decision to go for the corner and not at gaol showed the positive approach. Stoke won the line out and drove infield and when they were stopped Fish went to the blind side to feed Flower who with a lovely step wrong footed the last defender to score a try and a 22-5 advantage.

            The next try was a gem having started 30 metres from their own line Stoke won a line out. Good hands moved the ball and May-Miller coming off his wing broke through the middle with a 30 metre break. Quick ball from the ruck gave continuity to the move and with Gleadowe moving into the 22 it was Ford on hand to cut a line infield to round off the move and Humberstone conversion extended the lead to 29-5 on 55 minutes.

            Whilst both sides tried to run the ball at all times the game became a scrappy affair keeping the referee busy and with both making use of their substitutes it became a start stop period of play and was not helped by a yellow card for a home side’s prop and a minor fracas.

            Stoke finally took control in the closing stages and scored 2 tries in the last 5 minutes.

            On 75 minutes following a period of pressure Stoke had a 5 metre scrum and after several forward drives it was Drawbridge that crossed the line for Patterson to add the conversion and a 36-5 lead.

            On 78 minutes Kelly nearly added to his try tally when chasing a long kick and giving a defender a good head start he narrowly failed to get the touch down. Then with the final move of the game Kelly was stopped 2 metres from the line but Fish once more was on hand to score from the ensuing ruck giving the final score of 41-5 and another good win on their travels.

            Afterwards Crocker added “I am very proud of you all for another great away win and it was only the top 3 sides we lost to when on our travels. This win was a good way to finish off the season and I’d like to say a big thank you for all your efforts, as well as all the other players who have contributed, which has given us the platform to build on for next year.” 

            Stoke continued their winning form with another bonus point win against a spirited and at times enterprising Trojans side. Had the result been based on territory and possession it would probably have been a win for the visitors but the difference was that Stoke made the most of their scoring opportunities whilst Trojans were unable to make the most of theirs.

            From the start it was the visitors who had the early pressure and only resolute defence kept them from scoring and they missed a chance to take the lead on 8 minutes when a simple penalty drifted wide. Trojans continued in the ascendancy and it was not until the 15^th minute that Stoke got into the visitors 22 following a long clearance kick by Humberstone from his own 22.

            This 1^st chance to put pressure on the visitors was soon rewarded with a try. Good hands saw Hore make ground and a neat off load to Patterson to ground the ball short but then immediately place the ball over the line only for the ref to disallow it. However, from the resultant scrum the forwards set a strong platform for Fish to break blind and feed Kelly, who stood up his opposite number to glide around him on the outside for an unconverted try and a 5-0 lead. 

            Back came Trojans for another 5 minutes of pressure but a mistake on the Stoke22 saw the dangerous Stoke back line with the ball. Simple passing saw Kelly with ball in hand on the half way to outpace the defence and score out wide and increase the lead to 10-0 on 22 minutes.

            Stoke extended their lead 2 minutes later following another Kelly break into the visitors half. Several phases of play later and having moved the Trojans defence out of position Humberstone was able to give a simple pass to Guilfoyle to score from 15 metres out and the conversion from Humberstone gave Stoke a 17-0 lead. In simple terms Stoke by now had 3 worthwhile attacks and had scored 3 tries and had spent the rest of the game on the back foot.

            Trojans finally got on the scoreboard on 35 minutes following a Stoke break from their own 22 and then being penalised for the 11^th time giving the visitors a penalty. As so often in the half they took a quick tap and following good support play were rewarded with a try and conversion to reduce the arrears to 17-7.

            The final act of the 1^st half went to the home side when Humberstone slotted a long range penalty to turn around 20-7 up.

            The start of the 2^nd half mirrored that of the 1^st half with the visitors having possession in the Stoke 22 but it took them 10 minutes before they scored their 2^nd try. Once more it came from a quickly taken penalty and following several phases they were able to cross the line and now trail 20-12.

            Stoke responded in the best possible way 2 minutes later. A scrum against the head saw Fish again break blind to feed Kelly. With the outside line blocked he cleverly stepped infield and some great support play from the rest of the backs saw the ball reach Gleadowe with a clear overlap 10 metres out to score the bonus point try and with Humberstone adding the extras Stoke now led 27-12.

            Trojans kept to their open style and were rewarded with a try on 57 minutes. Following a scrum on half way they went on the attack and kept the ball alive with a good score which again went unconverted and trail27-17.

            The visitors were now looking for another try which would give them a 4 try bonus point, a losing bonus point or even a win with 23 minutes left in their own fight to avoid relegation. However, on 70 minutes it was Stoke that got the killer blow.

            Once more simple passing and support play from the Stoke side saw Patterson in for a try which Humberstone converted and now have a 34-17 advantage which left the visitors looking only at a 4 try bonus point with 10 minutes left.

            The final few minutes saw Trojans lay siege in the Stoke 22 and even when Stoke were reduced to 13 players following yellow cards to Simmonds on 77 minutes and John on 79 minutes they could not get the score they wanted and probably deserved.

            This was a solid performance from Stoke and keeps momentum going forwards which also saw Appleby come on for his 200^th appearance and again show that he is still a thorn to opposing teams and adding to a competitive selection for the rest of the season.

            Afterwards Crocker added “That was a very professional performance from the whole squad. We were clinical in our finishing which was the main difference between the 2 sides. When your strike rate is as good as ours was to-day it is always a joy to watch. I was disappointed with the amount of penalties we gave away and that is something we can view on the DVD and put right in training. We now have 2 huge games in front of us with Old Elthamians next week and the Hampshire Cup Final the week after each posing their own hurdles, but in true fashion we will take each game as it comes.”

An inspired champion backed ‘Stoke made it back to back wins on the road with a bonus point 34-15 victory against an in form Hove team.  The visitors set their stall out from the off when the kick off failed to go the required ten meters and gave the visitors a scrum in centre field.  A smart move linking the back row and scrum half created space for winger Kelly who was bundled into touch five metres from the line, but it was judged that the last touch was from a Hove player setting up an attacking lineout ten metres out.

 The forwards set up play through several phases of retained possession before Humberstone broke free from ten metres to score under the posts and duly converted to make it 0-7 after just two minutes.  Hove replied almost immediately when ‘Stoke were penalised for holding on 30 metres out straight in front of the posts.  The Hove fly half stepped up to make it 3-7 with ten minutes played.  On 15 minutes following several passages of play space opened up down the blind side and smart hands from hooker Staszkiewcz set Gleadowe free on the half way line. Still with a lot of work to do Gleadowe fended of three would be tacklers before scoring ‘Stokes second of the afternoon.  Humberstone converted from wide out to take the score to 3-14.

3 Minutes later ‘Stoke extended their lead when Hove were penalised for offside following a strong drive up field from flanker Davies Humberstone once again took the points on offer to make it 3-17.  Hove showed why they were the form team when a lose kick failed to find touch and was gathered by a skilful Hove fly half who proceeded to break two tackles before offloading to the supporting fullback who ran in unopposed.  The conversion was added to close the gap to 10-17 with just over half an hour played.

 ’Stoke  gathered their own restart and the forwards again took the ball through several phases before a long Humberstone miss pass again found Gleadowe in space who promptly stepped inside two defenders to touch down near the sticks.  Humberstone converted to make it 10-24 on 35 minutes.  As the first half slipped into injury time Hove were again pressing the ‘Stoke line, the visitors missed a tackle out wide and the Hove defender crossed to score.  The conversion attempt was missed to leave the score 15-24 at half time.

The second half was a decidedly one sided affair with the majority of play occurring in the Home teams half.  This dominance was achieved through a commanding effort from the forwards who were able to maintain possession for phase after phase without seeing any characteristic errors that have been the cause of frustration so often this year. 

Despite all this possession, ‘Stoke rarely looked like scoring as the Home teams defence stood strong.  However on 63 minutes pressure finally told and the home defence conceded a penalty.  Humberstone missed with the effort but made up for it shortly after when on 35 minutes ‘Stoke elected to kick for the posts again and turning down the attempt to push for a much needed bonus point.  The attempt was successful and the lead was extended to 15-27 with only five minute to go.

With the difference between the two teams now 13 points, Hove was forced to attack in search of a converted try that would have seen them gain a losing bonus point from the game.  This meant the last five minutes was very open with both sets of players struggling in the heat.  With 2 minutes left of normal time ‘Stoke took full advantage of this when, following more retained possession from both forwards and backs saw play move up to the Hove 5 metre line.  Byett ran a short line and crashed over to score the vital fourth try and keep ‘Stokes slim promotion hopes alive.  Humberstone again converted to make the final score 15-34.

 Following the game, coach Croker expressed his immense pride in the team and stated that that “the improvement in  our discipline and accuracy, something that we have been working on for a while was what gave us the platform for this performance. The win was our priority as this is a difficult place to come to so to get a bonus point shows how good a team performance that was.” 

Young, Staszkiewcz, John (Hibdige 70), Henderson (Hore 40), Drawbridge, Hicks, Davies, Ford, Patterson (Hall 75), Humberstone, Kelly, Posthumus, Byett, Gleadowe, Guilfoyle.

Sidcup Vs. Basingstoke 3^rd March 2012

Champion backed ‘Stoke had to show true grit and determination as they dug deep to grind out an away win against Sidcup.

Although the first half ended with no scores both sides had opportunities that they failed to convert into points.  From a scrum the ‘Stoke Number 8, Will Ford, flicked a ball up to scrum half Ben Hall which was shipped out quickly to centre Freddie Gleadowe.  As he broke down the pitch winger Warren Simmonds was in support for the pass but was bundled into touch.

‘Stoke continued to put pressure on the Sidcup line and had the opportunity to open the scoring on 20 minutes when the referee reversed a home side penalty for foul play but the ball sailed wide.

With the visitors reduced to 14 men Sidcup then had their own chance to score when close to the ‘Stoke line, they took a scrum against the head but some great defence forced the home side to knock on.

The second half started better for ‘Stoke when a Sidcup scrum on the home side line was turned through 90 degrees and taken into touch.  The visitors won the lineout and the forwards drove the maul over the line with prop Ollie John, getting the final touch for an unconverted try and a 0-5 lead on 44 minutes.

Sidcup immediately tried to even up the scoring as they won the ball and kicked it deep into the ‘Stoke half. Full back Ash Paterson was forced to take the ball over the line and touch down giving the home side a 5 metre scrum but again the visitors defence held strong and they were able to clear their line.

‘Stoke extended their lead to 0-8 on 59 minutes when once again the referee reversed a Sidcup penalty for foul play and this time Drew Humberstone had no problem slotting the ball between the uprights.

The visitors were now playing some good rugby and substitute David Byett made a lovely break out of his own half, offloading to the supporting Gleadowe who took the ball forward before passing to winger Gareth Kelly who was finally bundled into touch by the Sidcup defence.

On 66 minutes Ford broke through the home side again passing to Byett in support who pulled in the defence and then gave the ball back to Ford to cross the line for an unconverted try 0-13.

‘Stoke kept up the pressure as Kelly gathered a Sidcup kick and took off down the pitch again moving the ball out to Paterson who was bundle into touch by the prop.

The score was extended to 0-18 on 71 minutes when Simmonds made a break passing to flanker Matt Horne who had some work to but managed to avoid the tacklers and score an unconverted try.

Sidcup did not give up and were rewarded for their hard work when ‘Stoke were penalised as the home side piled on the pressure.  ‘Stoke won the resultant lineout but dropped the ball allowing Sidcup to pick up and dive over the line for a converted try on 80 minutes giving a final score of 7-18.

Team: Paterson, Simmonds, Gleadowe, Posthumus (Byett 54 mins), Kelly, Humberstone, Hall, Young (c), Staszkiewicz, John (Hibdidge 59), Henderson, Drawbridge, Hicks (Davis 59), Horne, Ford.

            Stoke scored 48 unanswered points with an eight try performance against a spirited Sutton outfit. In doing so Patterson scored a hat trick, Kelly crossed for a brace and notched up his 20^th try for the season and Humberstone broke the 200 point barrier for the season.

            The Champion backed side started at a frenetic pace in wet conditions and whilst they had plenty of possession and territorial advantage no real pattern of play materialised and numerous errors were causing frustration. Several penalties were awarded to the home side but they chose to run the ball or kick for the corners rather than look for the 3 points.

            The pressure should have led to a score on 10 minutes but a clear overlap was wasted when a player took contact instead of utilising the spare man outside. Finally on 20 minutes the 1^st try of the afternoon was scored. A scum 10 metres out was won and the forwards went down the blind side before re-cycling the ball open for Posthumus to breech the defence for a try and Humberstone converting for a 7-0 advantage.

            On 28 minutes a quick penalty on half way saw Fish make ground and good support from Drawbridge and then Gleadowe saw Patterson receive a simple pass to score his 1^st of the day with Humberstone adding the extras for a 14-0 lead.

            Pressure continued to be applied by the home side which saw the visitors full back being shown a yellow card on 37 minutes. Stoke took advantage of the extra man a minute later when a scrum was won and the ball passed open. From the ensuing ruck quick ball allowed play to be switched down the blind side where Patterson made the most of the space available due to the opponents’ lack of a covering full back for an unconverted try and extend the lead to 19-0.

            From the re-start Hoare gathered the ball and went on a charging run of 30 metres to find support on his inside and some clever passing saw Patterson score his 3^rd try to leave the half time score 24-0 and a bonus point in the bag.

            The second half saw early pressure from Stoke and was rewarded with a try on 49 minutes when Gleadowe ghosted through a gap to score an unconverted try and see the score line of 29-0. There then followed a period of scrappy play as the weather deteriorated with a deluge descending and mistakes being made by both sides.

            It was not until the 67^th minute that the next score came for the home side. Following aerial ping pong Stoke found themselves on their own 22 and launched a counter attack with space out wide. The ball eventually found Kelly to round off the move in typical fashion for his 1^st of the day and the home side now led 34-0.

            On 75 minutes Stoke once more found themselves on their own 22 and again decided to run the ball. Good hands from forwards and backs once more ended with another simple run in for Kelly and with Humberstone adding the extras the advantage was now 41-0.

            On 77 minutes Stoke again found themselves on their own 22 but chose to clear the ball down field. Kelly gave chase and charged down the Sutton kick with the ball bouncing off a defender into touch. Stoke won their own ball and after several phases Horne was able to skip his way over for the final score of the game and a simple conversion from Humberstone leaving the result at 48-0 in a game that saw some unchallenged dominance from the home side for periods of the game.

            Afterwards Crocker added “I thought the 1^st 15 minutes we were inaccurate with our play which led to mistakes and were very flat in our alignment which did not help matters. Although we scored some late tries we started to force proceedings which led to missed opportunities. In between those 2 periods we did a thoroughly professional job in some poor conditions at times. To score 8 tries in any game is good and it is always nice to keep a clean sheet against anybody. We need to build on this performance for our run in to the end of the season”

            Stoke managed to grind out a win against a very determined Dover side scoring the winning try with only 5 minutes left of the match. With their last 3 games showing free flowing rugby this was a stuttering performance by Stoke but one that they could have lost earlier in the season.

            The Champion backed Stoke side showed their willingness to play open rugby when on 2 minutes, following a turn over on half way May-Miller made a neat break to feed Kelly. The leagues top try scorer eluded several tackles before the last defender managed to force him into touch 5 metres out. After that it was the visitors who pressurised the home side into making mistakes and could of opened the scoring on 5 minutes when they missed a penalty.

            With no real pattern to the game and both sides defending with good aggressive play each side were forced into making mistakes and on 10 minutes Stoke opened the scoring with a Humberstone penalty following an indiscretion from the visitors and a 3-0 lead.

            The 1^st period of any pressure came on 20 minutes when Stoke spent time in their opponents 22 and were rewarded with a try. Following a lineout then a scum close to the line Stoke had another lineout which secured them good ball. They drove infield before coming back blind for Staszniewicz to dive for the corner and the ref award the try. If this had been at the highest level the T.V. replay would definitely have been called for, but to their creditDover accepted the decision without any back chat, and Stoke led 8-0.

            The home side had a repeat opportunity on the half hour mark following 2 more 5 metre line outs but lost the chance by giving away a needless penalty for the visitors to clear their lines.

            With half time approaching it was the visitors who were applying pressure and scored a converted try after Humberstone was shown a yellow card for taking a player out whilst in the air and a response from Dover’s 2^nd row saw him also have a 10 minute rest. From the penaltyDover kicked into the Stoke 22 to secure possession from the ensuing lineout. Recycling the ball well they scored under the post and now trailed 8-7.

            The 2^nd half started with the visitors on top and making the most of Stokes errors. The home side lost the ball in contact on the visitor’s 10 metre line on 42 minutes and a counter attack byDover was halted 5 metres from the Stoke line and conceding a penalty in the process.Dover kept the pressure on and only good defence stopped them from scoring.

            On 47 minutes the visitors had the chance to take the lead. Stoke lost their own lineout and then conceded a penalty which the visitors missed to still trail by a single point.

            Stoke then had a 10 minute period where they managed to extend the lead with 2 penalties. The 1^st on 50 minutes following a penalty which Fish took a quick tap but Dover were not 10 meters  so another penalty was given and Humberstone (now back on from his card) converted for an 11-8 lead. The 2^nd came on 57 minutes and started just outside the Stoke 22 with a lovely break by Humberstone who then sent Posthumus on his way. He was tackled on the visitors 22 but before Stoke could recycle the ball theDover defence was penalised and Humberstone added another 3 points and a 14-7 lead.

            On 65 minutes Stoke were once again applying pressure with a scrum10 metres out but the backs were penalised andDovercleared to touch on the half way. The won the ball and made progress up the field and rounded things off with a converted try to draw level at 14-14.

            It was not until the 75^th minutes that Stoke managed to break through the solidDover defence to score the decisive try. Play started on the half way and good interchange between forwards and backs saw the ball with Kelly on the 22. A jinking run saw him elude the defence to score in the corner and a good conversion out wide from Humberstone gave the home side a 21-14 advantage which was to prove the final score.

            Afterward head coach Croker added “That was what you call an ugly win but more importantly it was a win which keeps our momentum going. To be fairDoverput us under pressure at times and credit to the way they played. We were never allowed to settle into our stride and as a result we never got our patterns of play working. We will watch the DVD and that will confirm the areas we need to work on during training before next weeks game away atChichester.”

            Champion backed Stoke showed little effects of their long journey to Thanet as they extended their winning streak to 4 games in a row and running in another 7 tries in the process.

            Stoke hit the ground running and were on the score sheet within a minute. Stoke won the ball from the kick off and Hicks drove up the middle.Daviswas in support and then quick hands from the backs saw Gleadowe score and a Humberstone conversion gave the visitors a 7-0 lead.

            Stoke extended their lead on 6 minutes after the forwards won a Thanet line out and setting up a maul which pulled in the home defence. The ball was then spun wide where an overlap had been created for leading try scorer Kelly to touch down in the corner and a 12-0 lead.

            Having gained an early advantage Stoke once again seemed to relax and allow Thanet to come back into the game. Stoke were penalised for being off side and the home team kicked for the corner. They duly won the ball and set up a maul and drove forward before changing the point of attack to create an opening which they crashed trough for an unconverted try and now trail 12-5.

            The rest of the 1^st half lacked the intensity of the opening period as Stoke gave away numerous penalties and letting the home pack dominate the game pushing Stokes defence to the limit as Thanet played to their strengths. Stoke rear guard performance held strong and there were no more score to leave the visitors with a narrow 12-5 margin.

            The 2^nd half started in much the same vein as the 1stas Posthumus broke the gain line and quick hands saw a scoring pass knocked on short of the line. From the resultant scrum Stoke pushed Thanet off the ball and as it collapsed the ball popped up to Fish to dive over the line to extend the lead to 17-5 on 42 minutes.

            Thanet were up for the challenge though and keeping the ball tight in their pack meant Stoke had to defend their line. When the home side were given a penalty 5 metres out they took a quick tap and pushed the defence back to score a converted try and now trail 17-12 on 47 minutes.

            Stoke now seemed to step up a gear putting pressure on the home side. Humberstone made a neat break before feeding to Patterson who made ground to the 22. Drawbridge was 1^st in support and then Davis who moved the ball quickly out to Posthumus to crash over and a Humberstone conversion made it 24-12 on 56 minutes.

            As with last week Stoke sensed that applying more pressure and not relaxing would bring rewards with more tries to follow. On 60 minutes Patterson broke the line before passing to Kelly who ran down the line, skipping through several tackles to score and with Humberstones’ conversion extended the lead to 31-12.

            Thanet did not give up and their persistence was rewarded on 70 minutes as they took the ball through several phases via the forwards and as a gap opened up they drove through the hole for an unconverted try and now trail31-17.

            Stoke bounced back 5 minutes later as backs and forwards combined through several phases of play having successfully retained the ball before releasing young May-Miller to score in the corner and a 36-17 lead. With just 3 minutes left Stoke got their final try of the day following a collapsed scrum on Thanet’s 5 metre line. Captain for the day, Will Ford, took a quick tap to feed Humberstone who offloaded to Fish to spin over the line for his 2^nd try of the game and with Humberstone adding the extras to bring the final score to 43-17.

            Afterward Captain Will Ford added “We had to overcome a few obstacles in the 1^st half and never really got into our stride. We re-grouped at half time and upped the tempo in the 2^nd half. Once we started to play to our patterns we looked very good and our confidence levels rose. As a result the tries came and we got the result we were aiming for. I am very proud of the boys and to come away with a winning bonus point is always good. We need to take this performance forward to next week and keep the high standards we are setting into that match”

            Stoke eventually ran out comfortable winners against local rivalsPortsmouthby 46-6; scoring 6 tries in the process. In a game that started slowly it ended with the Champion backed side playing some exuberant rugby and for once putting their opponents to the sword with 3 tries in the last 15 minutes. Patterson scored a try in each half and Humberstone scored a brace in his match haul of 26 points helping Stoke to the winning total.

            The early pressure came from the home side without being able to put pressure into points and 2 missed penalties on 2 and 5 minutes did not help but Humberstone made amends on 8 minutes with a successful penalty and a 3-0 lead.

            The visitors had their number 8 yellow carded but Stoke could not take advantage of the extra man and it was the visitors who scored during this period to level 3-3 on 23 minutes.

            Stoke eventually scored their 1^st try on 28 minutes. Humberstone put a penalty to the corner which the forwards duly won and drove the ball to the line. With thePortsmouth forwards trying to stop the maul Fish spotted a gap which he exploited to score from close range and a Humberstone conversion making it 10-3.

            Stokes ill discipline this season continued whenDaviswas penalised for hands in the ruck and shown a yellow card whichPortsmouthconverted for 3 points and cut the deficit to 10-6.

            It was Stoke who had the final say of the half on 40 minutes with Fish taking a quick penalty and a race to the 22. Support was at hand and the ball eventually found Patterson to touch down and a half time score of 15-6.

            Stoke started the 2^nd half with renewed vigour and had the visitors under pressure straight away and scored on 44 minutes. Following 2 scrums 10 metres out and several drives from the forwards the ball was released to the backs. Humberstone dummied left then right to create a gap to go through unscathed to score and added the conversion for the home side to now lead 22-6.

            Stoke then had their customary spell of “switching off” time but this week did not allow their opponents to claw their way back in the game although they did miss 2 penalties on 49 and 60 minutes. In between Humberstone slotted a penalty on 55 minutes to give Stoke a 25-6 lead.

            With 20 minutes remaining and the bonus point 4^th try still not reached Stoke settled down to play some of their best rugby this year. They were now dominant in all areas of the game and most of the play being in thePortsmouth half or 22.

            Varying the point of attack was the key element and this allowed Stoke to keep the ball alive and complete several phases of play which were draining their opponents who were visibly tiring. The vital break through came on 67 minutes when forwards and backs combined in a rampaging spell of pressure for Fish to put Humberstone over for his 2^nd try.  He then added the conversion extending the lead to 32-6.

            Having been told by the coaches and the captain about not being able to finish off sides following last weeks performance the team went about rectifying this and did so in style. Sensible use of the ball again saw Stoke make inroads into the visitors defence and was again rewarded with another try on 72 minutes. Several phases of play again saw Stoke get to 10 metres out and Humberstone gave a sublime inside pass to Patterson who cut a superb line to score untouched and with Humberstone adding the conversion the lead was now 39-6.

            Stoke still piled on the pressure and got their final score on 80 minutes. Following a scrum Stoke once more put together some lovely rugby to finish the game off with Drawbridge crashing over for a try & Humberstone adding the extras and a final score of 46-6.

            Afterwards a delighted Croker added “That was a very impressive 2^nd half performance where we actually went about finishing our opponents off. Whereas the 1^st half we were a bit ponderous and not putting together any real patterns or phases. The 2^nd half we were clinical by taking our scoring opportunities and a lot more accurate with our passing and offloads. The spine of the team (2,8,9 and 10) played well and this enabled others to play off them to enable us to play some impressive rugby.”  

Champion backed ‘Stoke came through a tough battle away to Beckenham to walk away with a bonus point win, without conceding a losing bonus point.  A hat trick from youngster May Miller and a high conversion rate of opportunities to points was the basis for a much needed win that brought the visitors back within touching distance of a play off place in the league.  After 10 minutes of solid defending ‘Stoke finally got their hands on the ball and attacked from deep inside their own 22, good hands from the backs and raw pace from youngster Miller and Paterson proved enough to get ‘Stoke their reward for a good defensive effort.  Humberstone’s conversion extended the lead to 7-0.  Beckenham came back again and spent more time camped inside the ‘Stoke 22, and on 18 minutes, captain Young was yellow carded for a dangerous tackle.  After yet more sustained pressure form the home side Beckenham were awarded with a penalty in front of the posts, which they converted for their first points of the match 3-7.  This seemed to be the wakeup call ‘Stoke needed and on 20 minutes, good strength from Gleadowe and a smart offload, allowed May Miller to score in the corner for an 8-12 lead.  Following ten minutes of play in the Beckenham half, ‘Stoke finally turned preassure into points when after multiple phases of possession retained by the forwards, the backs were released and Humberstone ran a short line to go through under the posts unopposed.  Humberstone added the extra’s for a 3-19 lead.  After constant pressure from the home side, resolute defending from stoke finally gave way, when a slipped tackle in the midfield allowed the home side to break clear and score in the corner.  The conversion was missed and the score remained  8-19.  After an arm wrestle for dominance, ‘Stoke came out on top when following a period of possession and a quick tap penalty from Fish, and a long miss pass from Humberstone, saw May Miller cross in the corner for his second and ‘Stokes 4th of the game and a bonus point in the bag.  A missed conversion left the score at 8-24.  ‘Stoke started the second half in fine form and on 42 minute, Horne ran through a gaping hole in the home defence and was left with only the full back to beat, which he did with ease and scored under the posts to make Humberstone’s conversion a near certainty.  The extras were added and the score line read 8-31.  As has been the case so often with this young ‘Stoke side, as soon as the game appeared to be won, they switched off.  This combined with a step up in effort from Beckenham saw the home side have a large spell of territory and possession, which following ill discipline from the ‘Stoke side gave them a great attacking opportunity with lineout on the visitors five metre line.  A catch and drive was ordered and they crossed the line with worrying ease to leave the score at 13-31.  This seemed to give the home side a renewed energy and for the following ten minutes, ‘Stoke barely touched the ball.  On 64 minutes, this possession finally brought rewards when again poor midfield defence allowed the home side to cross in the corner to bring the score back to 18-31 and there was now less than two scores between the sides.  Finally the visitors got a foothold in the half when a smart kick set up good field position deep in the home side’s territory.  Good follow up pressure from Gardner forced a turnover and quick hands allowed May miller to cross in the corner for the youngster’s hat trick on 78 minutes to leave the score at 18-36.  Following the game Croker was in a mixed mood unable to complain with a bonus point win away from home against a tough side, yet hugely frustrated knowing once again a far inferior side were made to look by his sides lack of killer instinct and inability to close out a game which could of been won by half time.

Team: John, Bird (Staszkiewicz 47), Young, Brougham, Drawbridge, Hicks, Horne (Hore 47), Ford, Fish, Mortem (Gardner 65), Kelly, Humberstone, Gleadowe, May Miller, Paterson.