Stags edge out of the relegation zone with impressive bonus point victory

Conan Osborne led the charge with two tries, backed up by tries from Conrad Burne, Matt Gibson and Adam Nixon as CS Stags secured a crucial victory over Guildford edging CS just out of the relegation places. CS started strongly and performed better than the visitors in virtually all aspects of the game including, perhaps surprisingly, bearing in mind Guildford’s illustrious forwards coaches the set scrum. 4 minutes into the game CS were awarded a penalty just inside the visitors half. The kicking tea had not been brought on and therefoe fly half Tom Hodgson dropped a beautiful kick. 3 -0. After a further 6 minutes CS earned a scrum penalty. Which resulted in a dominant CS scrum, described by one of the Guildford replacements as “awesome”, and resulted in No 8 Matt Gibson diving over for a score which went unconverted 8 - 0. With twenty minutes on the clock, effective backs moves took play to the left corner where Conan Osborne scored the first of his two tries, converted by Hodgson 15 -0. Guildford then had an opportunity to get into the game with a couple of scrums within striking distance of the CS line but a CS centre intercepted and cleared the danger. CS then used a penalty to kick to the corner but a knock on prevented a score. Early in the second half CS benefitted from a penalty 5 metres from the Guildford line and slick play resulted in a score for Conrad Burne. 20 -0. To their credit Guildford worked hard to get into the game and as the third quarter approached they scored their first try and then, when awarded a penalty kicked to the corner and worked a successful maul to score. 25 – 10. Matt Pollen who had been looking very sharp all afternoon made a break and fed Conan Osborne, enabling CS to put serious pressure on Guildford, and from a set scrum 8 metres out scrum half Adam Nixon darted over the line which Tom Hodgson converted 32 -10, that was the final score and the maximum five points for the Stags, to see them whose next game is away to second placed Sutton and Epsom on 15th December. The next just above the relegation places, home game is Saturday 5th January when high flying Tring are the visitors.