RUGBY: Stow close in on the league title (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Stow dominate second-placed Swindon to extend lead

11:07am Monday 11th March 2013 in Sport

Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier.

Stow-on-the-Wold 25 Swindon College 10.

STOW put in a very impressive first-half performance that set up this win against second-placed Swindon and edged them closer to claiming the league title.

They came out of the blocks at full speed and took total control of the game in every department.

A series of thrusting runs and drives eventually resulted in Andrew Piercey picking up from the base of a ruck and driving over; Nick Cafearo added the conversion.

Soon after, Cafearo slotted a penalty when the visitors failed to release the ball.

The second try was well worked; Mat Green ran out of his own half before passing to James Holmes who beat a couple of defenders and then offloaded to Cafearo for the run to the corner.

Swindon just could not get into the game and things got worse when they tried to clear their lines. Green charged down the ball and won the race for the touch down, with Cafearo converting. This gave Stow a 22-point lead at the interval.

The visitors started the second half strongly and after a series of penalties scored in the corner. They started to get their share of possession and for the first time caused problems for Stow.

The hosts then lost two players to the bin in quick succession but they managed to keep the visitors at bay.

A Cafearo penalty steadied the nerves and gave them a secure lead of 20 points with time running out, but the visitors took the final honours with their second try in the last play of the game.

The result gives Stow a 17-point lead at the top with only four games left to play. This weekend the league can be won when they entertain Hungerford.