Winchester 19, Basingstoke 40

BASINGSTOKE, who dominated rugby's Hampshire Cup for more than a decade, won Saturday's semi-final to book a home final at Down Grange.

Both the combatants at Nuns Road had been given byes into the last four, knowing that whoever won would stage the final on Sunday, April 17.

Last season, 10-times winners Basingstoke surrendered a four-year stranglehold on the competition when they lost 9-5 in a disappointing final to Andover.

On Saturday, they had an uneasy passage into another county final.

In blustery conditions, a below-par performance was still good enough to see them through against a team that plays two levels lower.

'Stoke were given a scare, however, when Winchester scored three minutes into the second half to reduce the deficit to 21-12.

The home side were then playing with the wind and an interesting second half looked in prospect.

But 'Stoke raised their game to run out 40-19 winners.

The game started well for the visitors with a try after three minutes under the posts by Seb Berti and converted by Ian Calder for a 7-0 lead.

Taking advantage of the wind, 'Stoke extended their lead when player-coach Jim Dixon rounded off some good play to score and leave Calder to add an easy two points.

Now leading 14-0, 'Stoke seemed to take their foot off the pedal and started to play some sloppy rugby.

They spilled too much ball, gave away penalties and did not take advantage of the wind.

As a result, the home side were allowed back in the game and scored a deserved try on 28 minutes to cut the deficit to 14-5.

The heavier Winchester pack caused problems in the scrums and they had more desire, so the lineout ball won by the recalled Ross Stirling was the only quality possession won by the visitors.

That supply line, however, was often disrupted by the wind moving the ball off-line.

It came as a huge relief for the visitors when Calder scored and converted on 42 minutes to extend the lead at half-time.

With the wind, now in Winchester's favour, the Basingstoke lead looked perilous.

Winchester scored early so 'Stoke needed to play up to the standard they had set themselves in recent league outings.

While not aspiring to those levels, they upped a gear and replied on 48 minutes with scrum-half Darren Lillywhite rounding off a good passage of play with a try which Calder converted.

Hampshire flanker Simon Appleby scored a try on 52 minutes for a more comfortable lead of 33-12.

Winchester were trying to use the wind but found full-back Simon Humberstone and centre Simon Buckland more than willing to launch counter-attacks.

The home side did give themselves a slim chance on 68 minutes with a converted try to close the gap to two scores.

However, 'Stoke were not to be denied and Vincent Feausi scored under the posts on 77 minutes.

Afterwards Dixon said: "We let ourselves down by under-performing, but still came away with a win. The Hampshire Cup is important, but next week it is back to the league and we cannot play like we did today.

"Our aim has to be to pick up more league points and what better way than to get two of them at London Scottish!"

Basingstoke: S Humberstone; S Buckland, V Feausi, I Calder, O Rogers (rep E Chimbima); S Berti, D Lillywhite; M Rushworth, P Maxwell (rep M Evans), P Perkins, A Wilson (rep R Northcote), R Stirling, S Appleby, D Rees, J Dixon. Rep (not used): R Bussati.