AN OUTSTANDING second-half display saw Basingstoke RFC brush visiting Sidcup aside to move up to second in the London One South table.

’Stoke’s 38-3 win at a freezing Down Grange, coupled with play-off rivals Chichester’s 29-15 defeat at home to runaway leaders East Grinstead, means it is now Basingstoke who occupy second place and the division’s play-off spot.

However, Chichester are just three points behind going into the final three games of the season – and Basingstoke still face a visit from fourth-placed Wimbledon before a trip to East Grinstead on the final day of the season.

It’s all set up for a fascinating end to the campaign but Basingstoke are the team in form, with Saturday’s victory over Sidcup making it 10 wins in a row.

However, it was not easy going for ’Stoke, who had to battle hard to get the game played at all.

With the main pitch deemed too wet, volunteers worked for much of the morning to clear snow from another of the pitches at Down Grange.

Things did not get any easier when the game started as Basingstoke stuttered in the first-half, only leading 10-3 at the break courtesy of Matt Horne’s injury-time try.

However, they took charge in the second-half, further scores from Matt Guilfoyle, Karl Buttle, Adam Davies and Jamie Fish wrapping up a 38-3 victory and a bonus point.

Director of rugby James Croker refused to be drawn on what had happened elsewhere, choosing to focus on his side’s excellent performance in the second 40 minutes.

“I am delighted with the win and particularly with the second-half performance where we scored 28 unanswered points,” he said. “All I can ask is for a bonus point win and that is what the boys delivered, with special mention to Matt Horne, Jake Henderson and Rob Durham, who did well stepping up from the academy for his debut.”

Croker was especially pleased to see his side respond to his half-time instructions.

He said: “We struggled in the first-half and did not adapt to the conditions and often our selection of play was not how it should have been.

“We stripped back our game-plan at half-time and came out at the start of the second-half playing at greater tempo.

“We also had a better selection of strategies as to how we should play the conditions and as a result the tries came.”

See The Monday Gazette, on sale now, for a full report and pictures from Saturday’s game.