BASINGSTOKE RFC made light of their off-field problems with a comfortable victory over visiting Hampshire rivals Gosport and Fareham on Saturday.

The home side ran in nine tries on their way to a comprehensive victory that moved them up to second in the London One South table.

However, they will slip down the standings later this week, when they are due to be deducted 15 points for fielding an unregistered player and falsifying the match card in a game against Guildford last month.

The club may be in turmoil behind the scenes, but the players were seemingly unaffected, completely dominating Gosport to take maximum points from the game.

Morning ran had made the pitch at Down Grange greasy and while the sun came out in time for kick-off, the damp conditions had an early effect as Basingstoke failed to gather the kick-off and were then penalised for offside.

Visiting fly-half Sam Foster slotted the penalty to open the scoring, but ’Stoke drew level almost immediately, Ryan Travaskis kicking a penalty after Gosport were caught offside on their own 22.

The hosts took the lead with the opening try of the game on eight minutes, winger Tim Richards burrowing over out wide after doing well to gather a stray pass, with Travaskis’ conversion attempt hitting the post.

The lead was extended to 12 points on 15 minutes, hooker Jon Bird forcing his way over to bring a sustained spell of pressure to an end, with Travaskis adding the extras.

An error-strewn 20 minutes followed, with both sides guilty. A decent Gosport break ended with the visitors spilling the ball out of play, while forward passes and turnovers at the breakdown stopped a couple of promising Basingstoke attacks.

Richards then made the biggest mistake of the lot, allowing a visiting defender to knock the ball out of his hands after he had crossed the line. It was a shame, because the winger had done brilliantly to get himself into position to score, showing good pace and shaking off a couple of tackles.

Gosport were reduced to 14 men by a yellow card five minutes before the break and ’Stoke took full advantage, replacement flanker Chris Guyatt forcing his way over from close range.

Guy Wilkinson kicked the conversion and was called into action again just before the break, adding the extras after No 8 Gavin Hart had touched down, taking a couple of defenders over the line with him.

The try secured Basingstoke a bonus point and gave them a commanding 29-3 lead at half-time.

Gosport had the first meaningful attack of the second period, but they were unable to break down the ’Stoke defence. However, they did manage to cross the line on 48 minutes, Wayne Dugan forcing his way over from close range to reduce the lead by five points.

Basingstoke found an immediate response as Jobi Kochanowski ran in from 10 yards, while more pressure on the Gosport line resulting in flanker Ryan Davis forcing his way over from a scrum, extending the lead to 41-8.

Centre Matt Guilfoyle then got in on the scoring act, touching down twice in the space of three minutes.

A Ben Stewart break resulted in Steve Osborne being stopped just short but a quickly-taken penalty resulted in the ball being spun out to Guilfoyle, who acrobatically dotted the ball down in the corner.

Three minutes later and the same player burst through a gap to extend the lead to 53-8, but he pulled a muscle in the process and had to be replaced.

Gosport were visibly tired, and a late barrage of tries looked inevitable. However, Callum Staff was stopped just short of the line, while Osborne became the second ’Stoke player to knock the ball on when over the try-line.

Dave Greenaway did score though, forcing his way over from close range after second row Kyle Doel’s run was brought to an end just short of the line, with Trevaskis’ fourth conversion of the afternoon making it 60-8.

Gosport did have the final say, Wes Dugan sniping over from a ruck with the final play of the game, but it was Basingstoke’s day.

Click here to watch a post-match video interview with Basingstoke RFC head coach Will Croker

Basingstoke RFC: Trevaskis; Richards, Guilfoyle, Stewart, J Kochanowski; Staff, Wilkinson; R Kochanowski, Bird, Osborne, Doel, Durham, Davis, Greenaway, Hart. Reps: Folan, Guyatt, Tala.

Gosport and Fareham: Penfold; Heron, Wayne Dugan, McRoberts, Darrington; Foster, Wes Dugan; Titchener, J Gamblin, O'Donoghue, Woods, Pollard, Juleff, D Gamblin, Snowden. Reps: Roberts, Walton, Taylor.