Bishop's Stortford 1st XV 19 Basingstoke 17

With no-one returning from the longest injury list in recent memory and losing flyhalf, Tom Coleman to a training injury on Thursday, it was testimony to the fantastic production line of young players coming out of Stortford's Minis and Youths that we were able to turn out a competitive side. Fielding 7 players aged 21 or less and with 14 of the 18-man squad having come up through the Junior Club, it is, perhaps not surprising that the spirit shown by the side was huge, but the level of skills displayed across the field could not have been fully anticipated. Last year's Colt, Jack Knowles, moved across at the eleventh hour from centre to flyhalf was immense, as was schoolboy, Rory Day, switched on his debut to take Knowles' place - totally undaunted by marking former Gloucester and London Scottish player, Rory Greenslade Jones. The kicking of Coleman must, however, surely be sorely missed but no – step up another debutant, Ashley Boyle. To be fair, the whole side, led admirably from No 8 by Damien Sangster in the absence of both captain and vice captain, deserve tremendous credit and did the large crowd of former players on the touchline proud.

The first five minutes of the game tested Stortford's nerve, as Basingstoke exerted considerable pressure, but the visitors' vulnerability defensively was soon exposed, as the home side swiftly moved the ball wide from well within their own half, creating room on the left for fullback, Jimmy Rae to scoot round the outside of the cover defence for a try, duly converted by Boyle. Within 12 minutes, the Stortford lead was extended to 14 when the young backline, once again created space for Rae, this time on the right flank, but with the same result. After 20 minutes, though the lead was narrowed by a penalty kicked by Basingstoke centre, Andrew Humberstone, after Stortford were penalised for the fifth time for an offence at the breakdown. Within 8 minutes, Stortford suffered yet another big injury when Ben de Grandis, our most experienced remaining midfield back had to leave the field, to be replaced by backrow, Aaron Springham. The home side, nevertheless, reasserted their superiority and a good extended period of pressure through both backs and forwards culminated in a penalty at the breakdown, which saw Olly Day make several metres from a quick tap and David Rose in support out wide plunged over for a third try. Boyle's conversion attempt from the touchline came back off the far post. Having failed to capitalise on a number of other try-scoring chances – one after a fifty metre run through the heart of Basingstoke's defence by Knowles – Stortford were pegged back on the point of halftime, when the big visiting pack finally made its weight felt, forcing itself over for a try right on the touchline from the back of a 5 metre scrum. Humberstone converted brilliantly to take the halftime score to 19-10 to Stortford.

Basingstoke came out hard in the second half and after 10 minutes forced a penalty close to the Stortford line for the collapse of a maul – an offence deemed heinous enough for Sangster to be yellow-carded. Two scrums later and, almost inevitably, the visitors forced their way through the middle of Stortford's seven forwards for a converted try to reduce the home lead to a mere 2 points. Spurred on by this, the visitors launched attack after attack, finally finding some cohesion amongst their big midfield, but gritty tackling by the whole Stortford side held them out, with two cover tackles by Rae and flanker, Dave Aldam outstanding. With 15 minutes still to go, prop, Richie McMillan almost scored Stortford's 4th try, but was deprived, as he dived over the line, by a lunging Basingstoke foot that dislodged the ball. The remainder of the game saw the tiring home side really digging deep to hold the heavier opposition at bay through a combination of hard tackling and some tremendous ball retention through many phases of forward play, going through ruck after ruck with substututes, Tom Page and Will Freeston prominent.

With all eighteen players contributing to the full, it must have been very hard for Stortford's coaches to pick the inaugural Mercedes Man of the Match. Their verdict finally came down in favour of young hooker, Declan Caulfield, who had been particularly prominent in the first half, when his appetite for the wide open spaces saw him produce a series of rampaging runs.