It was four years ago when Chard last visited The BASC who came away victorious with a 13-31 win. Fast forward four years and it was The Stags turn and put in their best performance from the four games played so far this season.

Chard have always been a nuggety old bunch with a well drilled set of forwards and plenty of pace in the backs but they struggled to cope with The Stags expansive style of rugby all afternoon.

The game commenced and pint size Adam Peters, with his low centre of gravity managed to turn the ball over at the break down. With possession changed with ball was deep in The Stags 22 was cleared by Toby Fear only for to land in the hands of Chard centre who ran back in the 22 area, who was tackled and The Stags were penalised for not rolling away. Chards No 10 opted to kick for posts and slotted to ball over for there only points of the match.

Not knowing what the outcome would be Chard were the better side in the first 10 minutes as they made in roads towards The Stags half but the home side stood strong and kept there discipline at bay. This payed off as Chard were ill-disciplined at the breakdown going in off there feet on several occasions when The Stags had possession. The game began to settle and the away team were caught napping when Captain and Scrum Half, Sam Lewis, threw an audacious dummy to out wit a couple of players and break through the defensive line to score the first try of the game. Alex Watkins converted 7-3.

Chards scrums stood firm all game and on several occasions were pushing the home pack backwards at a rate of knots but thankfully the ball also came back at a rate of knots for Lewis to feed the back line of Will Hopkins, in at No 10, centres Josh Holder & Ryan Beard and the back three of Toby Fear (anyone should fear him) George Goodall and Alex Watkins at Full back. Watkins was outstanding all game, who read the game perfectly, ran some superb lines and kicked well from hand. He was awarded half way through the first half when he scrambled over the line with a couple of Chard players hanging on but sadly couldn’t convert his own try. 12-3.

Soon after, Watkins kicked a further three points after Chard were penalised again at the breakdown. 15-3. Chard began to settle and threatened The Stags white wash a couple of times shortly before Half Time but the home side stood firm and the defensive line forced Chard to make errors.

HT

Within minutes of the second starting, The Stags were all over Chard and forcing them backward with that Expansive style of play. After several phases, working up the pitch, Ryan Beard ran from deep and crashed through the Chard defence to extend the lead and Watkins adding the extras. 22-3.

Chard were fuming with themselves as they began to see the game slip away and heads began to drop but they remained strong in the scrums and were a nuisance in the loose trying to win ball.  Tight Head, Matt Slater and back row, Luke Gowan had to be replaced through injuries by Chris Warner and Eoghan Westoff respectively. Both made an impact in the scrums and they began to with stand the experienced Chard pack. Hopkins was also replaced with a knock to his knee, not his head this time, by Scott Havercroft.

Chards frustration and discipline gave Watkins a further opportunity to add three points when The Stags were awarded a penalty but the ball went wide.

Chard knew they needed to get something out of this game when they got inside the home 22m area. They won the ball against the head, and the ball was passed to there centre who fumbled under pressure.  Holder pounced on the loose ball, inside his own 10m area, who ran to open space with Ryan Beard in support. Beard making ground inside the Chard half was also supported by winger Goodall who scored a text book try. Watkins making it 29-3.

Chards heads had dropped as they knew they lost and with minutes to go, No 8 Ash Cutter broke free from the base of scrum inside his own half, saw that the Chard back line were not available to tackle and ran 50m but was brought down by the pacey Chard winger and full back shortly before the full time whistle.

FT 29-3

Mentions to the engine room of Sam Everett and Ross Mckechan for putting in some hard yards and a awesome back row performances by Gowan, Tom Stevens, cutter and replacement Westoff.

We send a huge congratulations to our ever reliable Stef Peirce and his girlfriend Yasmin Luke on the birth of their son Edward earlier in the week. Another prop in the making who is now son of Beauty and the Beast!!!

Next week we travel to Falmouth.