Basingstoke stars help to get Hampshire off to a flier

9:00am Wednesday 13th May 2009

By John Boyman

SIMON Appleby scored the crucial second try as Hampshire got their County Championship Shield campaign off to the perfect start with a 20-19 win over Middlesex.

The red rose county were winning a close game 13-12 when Basingstoke flanker Appleby powered through three defenders to run in under the posts from five yards, giving Hampshire a two score lead with just 12 minutes remaining.

Middlesex made their opponents sweat by running in an injury-time try to reduce their arrears to a single point but Hampshire held on to claim victory.

Speaking after Saturday’s win at Down Grange, team manager John Byett was delighted to get off to a winning start against a side featuring a former England international in Chris Sheasby and Chris Bishay, who has made five appearances for Wasps this season.

“That’s certainly not a bad start,” Byett said. “Our forwards really dominated their pack and we did well considering they had a couple of really good players.

“Middlesex had a lot of the ball but were not able to do much with it and our forwards were brilliant, with hooker Steve Cruddas doing an excellent job.

Played well “My heart was in my mouth a bit towards the end but we played well, got the points and have to move on to next week.”

Byett, a former captain and chairman of playing at Basingstoke, named six players with north Hampshire connections in the starting 15. Appleby was joined by ’Stoke team mates Steve Collins and Andrew Fitchett, with former Basingstoke players Matt Hart and Luke Richardson also named in the side. In addition, manager’s son David Byett started, with his brother Andrew on the bench.

Middlesex missed the opening opportunity to get points on the board, fly-half Richard Mahoney failing with a penalty, and it was the home side who took the lead with a try six minutes in.

Hart picked up the ball inside his own half and went on a great run, beating a number of men with well-executed dummies before offloading to winger Richard Buck, who went over under the posts. Hart converted to give his side a 7-0 lead.

Middlesex were having more of the ball but good defence by Hampshire kept them out and the home side looked dangerous going forward. Fly-half Hart missed a penalty and Fitchett, playing in the centre, went close to scoring on the break, being forced into touch just short of the line after running almost the full length of the field.

The visitors responded 23 minutes in when a poor clearance kick fell to Mickey Wilmott just outside the Hampshire 22 and he held off Buck to dive over in the corner for an unconverted try.

Good break Hampshire thought they had extended their lead soon after but Hart was pulled back for a forward pass. However the fly-half did extend the lead to 10-5 with a penalty and that was the way it remained until half-time.

Middlesex improved in the early stages of the second period and got their reward five minutes in when a good break by centre Martin Ridley was followed by an offload to Bishay, who used his pace to run in for a try converted by Mahoney.

Having taken a two point lead, Middlesex continued to press but, while they had plenty of territory and ball, they seemed to run out of ideas and Hampshire regained the lead with a long-range Hart penalty.

Appleby’s try was set up by an outstanding rolling maul as the Hampshire forwards maintained their dominance, while Fitchett was unlucky not to make the game safe with three minutes to go, his clever kick taking an unlucky bounce into touch with the line beckoning.

Middlesex set up a nervy final few minutes when scrum-half Graham Barr went over in the corner, Mahoney’s kick reducing the lead to a single point, but Hampshire were able to turn over their visitors’ final drive to win the match.