THE Hampshire Cup is heading back to Havant for the first time in nearly a decade after they made light work of disposing of a lacklustre Basingstoke 55-7 in the final of the Gales' backed competition.

Havant stung their hosts with a 31-point, four-try salvo before half-time, while Steve Claffey hit four penalties as Jim Dixon's side had little in response to the onslaught.

There was not much respite for them after the break either, Matt Gronow posting two tries, and it was only when Havant were reduced to 14 men, having made all six replacements and then suffering an injury, that Basingstoke got on the board through Dixon in the dying minutes.

It was all one-way traffic as Havant put the record straight, having not beaten their county rivals since 1989 in the final. Director of rugby Adam King was pleased for his charges.

"It was nice for them to pick up some silverware at the end of an attritional season and we did a professional job out there," he commented. "Credit to Basingstoke, who worked hard, but we were comfortable without playing at our best."

In the Hampshire Gales' Bowl final, Alton put aside their troubled league season to defeat local rivals Petersfield 16-8, thanks in the main to the men with previous showpiece experience.

A good crowd of more than 200 braved the spring breeze to view former Basingstoke pair David Rowledge and Jason Rees, both back at their hometown club, lead from the front while the visitors were left to rue missed chances.

Rowledge gave the hosts the lead with two first-half penalties, although Neil Arnold replied with one for the Penns Place side before the break,and the sin-binning of key full-back Derek Eldridge allowed Rees the space out wide to stretch Alton's advantage.

James Flett, Petersfield's talented young fly-half, responded by running around the otherwise stoic Alton defence to reduce the arrears but Rowledge's third penalty settled matters, despite a nerve-jangling final ten minutes when the hosts were reduced to 14.

Delighted vice-captain Rees said: "We have hammered a stake into the ground ahead of next season and thoughts of our demise are greatly exaggerated."