Winchester 3pts Basingstoke 47

Basingstoke assured themselves of a home play-off place on April 27 by crushing local rivals Winchester on Saturday.

The FX-backed side ran in seven tries and outclassed their opponents in all areas of the field to guarantee a second-place finish in London division one.

The two points gained mean they will enjoy home advantage in the play-off for a promotion place to the national league. Dings Crusaders from Bristol look their more likely opponents at Down Grange, although Barnstaple remain in the running, despite losing at home to runaway south west one leaders Weston-super-Mare on Saturday.

Basingstoke produced a powerful display and played good, expansive rugby in difficult conditions. They were dominant in both scrums and lineouts, setting a strong platform for the backs, led by Ian Calder, who took full advantage.

Calder played superbly at fly-half, kicking well and setting up the two centres Jason Rees and Neal Taylor, who were in blistering form to score five of the seven tries between them.

'Stoke, playing with the swirling wind slightly in their favour in the first half, opened the scoring after just two minutes after Winchester lost a scrappy lineout. Marcus Reeve was to capitalise by scoring in the corner. This was brilliantly converted by Calder from the touchline.

Winchester posted their only points of the match from a dodgy penalty after 'Stoke had lost their own lineout ball. The ball seemed to cross directly over an upright and neither linesmen gave it but the referee thought differently and awarded the points.

Basingstoke then began to take a grip on the game and, after numerous breaks from Calder, Taylor and scrum-half Tom Dean, they eventually scored their second try after 23 minutes from a well-worked move in the backs that sent Taylor through a gap for the first of his three tries. Calder again converted for a 14-3 lead.

From then on, it was all Basingstoke and they never looked like conceding any more points or losing the game. Although at times they were not playing their best rugby, they looked always in control.

Five minutes later, 'Stoke crossed again, although the referee did not give it. A miss-directed drop-goal attempt from Calder bounced kindly for Dave Jones, who was adjudged to have dropped the ball when touching down.

The visitors didn't have long to wait for their next score as, from the resultant scrum, 'Stoke's forwards won a ball against the head and Jason Rees was fed on the blindside and looked to score but later credited the try to Taylor. Calder again converted well from the touchline with the ball scraping the post as it went over.

After 36 minutes, the score became 26-3 after 'Stoke broke from their own 22, showing good support play with the ball going through numerous hands and phases before Rafer Joseph crossed in the corner for the only unconverted try in the game.

That was how the first half finished after 'Stoke were unable to finish off a chance in the closing minutes of the half.

They started brightly in the second period and put sustained pressure on the Winchester line. This was rewarded after 53 minutes, when Taylor and Rees combined to put Rees over for a try, again converted by Calder.

Nine minutes later it became 40-3 after a good turnover by back row players Della-Savina, captain Baker and Reeve, who again played well as a unit, allowing Rees to cross for his second try, converted by Calder.

Taylor completed his hat-trick and the scoring after the back row combined to turn over the tiring Winchester pack again and the inside centre sprinted in from 30 metres. Calder converted to bring his tally to 12 points.

Afterwards the player-coach said: "I was very pleased with the forwards' display, especially the scrummage that has suffered in past weeks.

"The pack also put in a strong performance as a whole that set up the victory. Nigel Hooker also played well in the second row for his man-of-the-match and the defence was great to prevent them from scoring any tries."

Basingstoke: D Jones (rep R Holmes); R Joseph, J Rees, N Taylor, G Jones; I Calder, T Dean; N Young, M Evans, S Collins (rep S Buttle), N Hooker, S Drawbridge (rep K Chapman), P Della-Savina, R Baker(capt), M Reeve.