BASINGSTOKE RFC players can hold their heads up high after an excellent performance which saw them only lose 23-11 against the National League Three London top dogs Dorking, writes Sharon Allen.

Three times the Surrey side have scored over 50 points in home games this season and had a record of won 11 and drawn one going into this match.

The visitors were minus concussion victims Adam Davies and Freddie Gleadowe and called up Ryan Trevaskis for his first start of the season and he did not disappoint.

The game was moved from the first team pitch due to puddles all over it, but conditions were still horrendous with driving rain and a strong unpredictable wind.

For the first 20 minutes the teams matched each other and ‘Stoke were pressing on the Dorking line when prop Steve Osborne was yellow card for stamping.

From this the home side escaped, and then when the visitors were adjudged to have pulled down a maul, this allowed Andy Frost to kick over a penalty for the opening score of the game.

On 28 minutes, Dorking extended their lead as penalty was kicked into the corner and the home side won the resulting line-out and from a maul went over thanks to George Evans. The boot of Frost added the extras for a 10-0 advantage.

The visitors went looking for their first score and Gavin Dampies hacked on a kick, but the short goal area saw the ball go over the back line, before it could be grounded.

‘Stoke did get themselves on the scoreboard after 38 minutes as from a scrum they were awarded a penalty.

The home players spoke out of turn and the referee moved the penalty 10 metres nearer to the posts and into kicking range for Trevaskis, and the score became 10-3.
The last play of the first-half saw a Dorking penalty which Frost kicked over to make it 13-3 at the break.

The first chance of a score in the second-half arrived after seven minutes, but the nature of the conditions saw Tom Humberstone slip as he tried to take a penalty.
On 50 minutes, Dorking were reduced to 14 men as Fidias Efthymiou was yellow carded.

However, the home side extended their lead six minutes later, as Armand Roux scored a try, but Frost missed the conversion.

‘Stoke hit back with their only try of the game, as Trevaskis slipped a few tackles and eventual was able to fed Jobi Kochonowski to crash over to make 18-8.

The visitors came again and were so close to adding a second try when a knock-on.
This allowed Dorking to take the play up to the other and score thanks to Efthymiou, which again due to weather conditions they were unable to convert.

This left the leaders looking for get the bonus point try, while ’Stoke fought hard to get the losing bonus point and they did managed to score another penalty thanks to Travaskis as the game ended 23-11.