Stow RFC have to come from behind to get right result (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Stow RFC have to come from behind to get right result

STOW RFC won Saturday's encounter comfortably in the end, but they had to come from behind to beat their Beaconsfield visitors by 27 points to 17.

Their performance showed a lot of character as they trailed by ten points after 35 minutes.

Without their first choice no 9 and no 10, leaving a much-changed back-line, Stow needed a strong performance from the pack, which duly came in the second half.

The visitors kicked off to the short side but, unfortunately for them, Will Sare took the ball, beat two men and popped the pass inside to Steve Mahony who scored under the posts inside 15 seconds. Duncan Smith added the conversion.

Beaconsfield had a very lively and pacey set of backs, and their opponents helped them by missing several clearance kicks.

From one of these, the visitors were awarded a penalty 30 metres out which was well converted.

Stow should have scored a second try soon after when fine work by the forwards on the blind side resulted in Paul Burns having the simplest of scores, but he knocked-on close to the line.

The Glo'shire side continued to pressure, but a lost scrum against the head in the visitors' half and Beaconsfield broke out to score under the post, leaving the conversion a formality.

The home forwards were dominant in the loose play, but under pressure in the tight.

From a superb attacking position, Stow had a pass intercepted with the visitors' backs racing virtually the length the field to score under the posts. The extra two points were added.

With just minutes to the interval and with Stow down by ten points, a score was needed and it duly came from a penalty which was kicked to the corner.

From the lineout, the forwards drove over the line with Mat Hicks claiming the try, although Smith missed with the conversion attempt.

Centre Steve Mahony had to leave the field with a nasty knee injury and his fellow partner Will Sare soon followed, leaving an already depleted back-line virtually threadbare.

While the half-time score had the visitors 17 points to 12 in the lead, Stow took control after the break.

Their make-shift back line did their job, but it was the forwards who dictated play.

When Beaconsfield were penalised close to their line, captain Pete Taylor took the penalty quickly and crashed over for the try. Smith missed the conversion, leaving both sides on 17 points.

Although Stow had the game by the scruff of the neck, the visitors' back line with their pace could have caused trouble.

Even so, it was the home forwards who broke the deadlock from a lineout 20 metres out.

After securing the ball, they drove for the line in total control, leaving Josh Harrison the man with the ball and the score.

Smith popped over the tricky conversion before Duncan Smith added a penalty to leave the visitors needing two scores.

On their second-half showing this seemed very unlikely and, at the final whistle, Stow were very satisfied with their afternoon's work.

For this Saturday's league game, Stow are set to travel to Bicester.