Havant 19 - Basingstoke 21

It is almost becoming customary that matches between the county's big duo, Havant and Basingstoke, turn out to be dour affairs.

Saturday's latest offering which Basingstoke claimed 21-19 to maintain their stranglehold over their deadly rivals was not a lot better - and it was the mistakes that Havant made that helped swing the match.

For a county showpiece match, it was very disappointing, especially as a healthy crowd defied the miserable conditions, which saw fog limit visibility as an incessant drizzle saturated the already soft surface.

The situation was not helped much by the referee's decision to allow both sides to wear their respective shirts - both predominantly blue with a large white band across the middle. From the very first minute, it was difficult to tell who was who.

Better sense reigned after half-time though when Havant changed to all red - and it lifted the gloom around the ground as the confusion eased.

The first half was turgid as the sides sized each other up to the extent of stand-offishness, only interrupted by respective kickers Ian Calder and Steve Claffey exchanging penalties within the first ten minutes.

Then came Havant's first mistake. Calder's second penalty dropped short but prop Adrian Mitchell's folly in attempting to break out of his own 22 resulted in him being turned over and the ball swung across the park for Barrie Kirwan to lurch for the line. He was held up, only for Calder to be on hand to tumble over.

Claffey struck two penalties in four minutes to give Havant the lead before Calder re-engaged a two-point cushion for Basingstoke with his personal second - a lead they held into the break despite Petzer's break in injury time being quashed by a rogue Basingstoke hand.

The change in shirts saw a change of fortunes for home side Havant and they enjoyed a fruitful ten-minutes as Alan Barnes and then Liam Davenport crossed to open up a lead, which at this level you cannot afford to relinquish.

However, Havant have become adept at doing exactly that, as in their last two games they have tossed away good leads. And they did it again.

Not without controversy though. As Tom Dean booted upfield, prop Paddy Conlon was bundled off the ball as he bent down to collect. With the attacking Basingstoke backs on his tail, the ball came up and Chris Norton ran through under the posts.

Havant were far from happy with the try. But Calder's side did not care. His conversion and a further penalty with ten minutes remaining saw the lead change hands again - but this time for the last time.

The home side had their chances but could not find a way through the solid Basingstoke defence, which soaked up the pressure Havant put on them.

As the game finished, the visitors could have been awarded a penalty try. It did not matter in the end as once again, they raided 'Fortress Hooks Lane' and took the prize.

Havant coach Dave Cook cut a disconsolate figure at full time.

"We threw the game away again," he said. "After having a ten-minute period of great rugby that got us back into the game, we stopped doing the hard yards and eased off.

"But we played some nave rugby and you cannot afford to do that at this level of the game. It was silly, college style rugby that cost us at least 15 points, which they did not earn, we gave to them."

Of the crucial and questionably controversial try, Cook felt his player "did not touch the ball and was bundled off it."

Calder was quick on the repost. "He didn't have control of it and our guys in support were going for the same ball," he said. "If our full-back pushes their prop aside - well, bummer for him!"

"I think we would have scored eventually and were denied a penalty try right at the end, so I think we deserved to win the game."

Havant are now eighth, Basingstoke ninth. They were a lot more separated than that a month ago and, with very tough matches left in their respective 11 remaining, it will be a long and arduous winter for the pair.