Stow RFC look at the positives after a defeat Chippenham (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Stow RFC look at the positives after a defeat Chippenham

STOW RFC can take a lot of positives from a Powergen South West 2 East game that they lost 12-17 away to Chippenham on Saturday.

Still with several key players out injured, they could well have taken the points but for some early mistakes and bad luck.

Chippenham started strongly and soon opened up their opponents' defence.

They scored an early penalty and then a converted try from a back peel having secured a lineout.

Stow still had not woken up when the home side scored under the posts after several missed tackles. This was converted.

With only a quarter of the game gone, Stow were 17 points down which proved to be the turning point.

Nonetheless, Stow forwards began to take some control, but the back line had difficulty in breaching a strong defence.

However, Stow deservedly scored close to the posts. Mat Watts took a quick penalty and slipped the ball to Ian Beasley who took several tacklers with him over the line.

And Watts converted and soon after was sin-binned. Chippenham failed to use their man advantage but had even more chance when a second Stow player was binned.

However, no more points came from either side, leaving the visitors 17-7 up at the break.

The second half was dominated by the Stow forwards, but the endless possession should have produced more points.

From a lineout, the Stow pack drove back their opponents and, after a couple of phases, stand-in scrum-half Mat Watts chipped the defence before winning the race for the try-line to score.

Chippenham were now living from scraps and mistakes from their visitors and only once got anywhere near the Stow line.

On this particular occasion, it resulted in yet another yellow card for the away team.

This did not deter the spirited visitors who camped in the Chippenham 22 for the final few minutes.

Disappointingly, it was not never going to be their day, with the home side hanging on grimly for the two points.

With many players yet to return, especially in the back division, this was a still an encouraging display from Stow.