Essential 5 point win

After a penalty kicked by the home team's centre Byett in the first minute and the restart, 2 penalties took the visitors to 11 metres out and from their the pack drove over with flanker Sharp on the ball after 5 minutes. Wicks added. Inside 3 minutes Byett reduced the lead to 1 point. After that Basingstoke kept their opponents out twice, and then broke into the other half only to be forced back and a penalty at their 22 set up a second forward drive from close range for Sharp to get his second at 21 minutes. Great scrum pressure set up the platform for Basingstoke's first try then a good set of phases got lock Salmon close and he offloaded to fullback Kochanowski to score on 30 minutes. The conversion hit the post and stayed out. Barnes third try came from a Basingstoke error; fullback Adams raced away with the ball. The defence got back and after a short siege at the opposition line leaper Collins dived over the ruck to score within 4 minutes of the previous try. The conversion missed. A turnover and good recycling got Basingstoke a third penalty shortly before halftime.

A penalty early in the second half took the visitors to a line-out 15 metres out. The defence stopped the drive but Barnes varied their options finally going blind close to touch for centre Jones to score after 3 minutes. After the restart the visitors were soon into the other half and scrumhalf Henry made a good break before a penalty 10 metres out and a man advantage for 10 minutes gave Barnes pack another chance for a line-out and drive which they took to get Sharp's hat trick at 9 minutes. Wicks added. After 15 minutes of no advantage, a penalty 6 metres into the opposition half was kicked by Wicks to 11 metres out. The defence prevented the drive but the ball was quickly recycled blind to wing Lewis who was stopped close to the line but skilfully offloaded to hooker Crossley to touch down at 26 minutes.

After the restart Barnes forced a couple of errors to get to the opposition 22 then from the line-out just outside the 22 Lewis and Hersey spread the defence before an offload to prop Galvin who touched down at the posts at 34 minutes. Wicks added. An error at the restart set Basingstoke attacking. Good defence from fullback Adams stopped the first thrust but not long the home team breached the defence with a second chip through gathered by scrumhalf Dampies to score out wide at 38 minutes. Basingstoke secured the long restart and ran the ball; there was some activity without anyone being in possession of the ball. Barnes were awarded a penalty while defending and after their line-out kicked laterally towards the far touchline but the opposition got it and broke away then recycled twice to set Dampies clear to the corner ; the conversion missed before the seemingly late final whistle.