Chichester salvage two bonus points in rearranged Basingstoke clash
After a four-week break from action because of the Six Nations and poor weather, Chichester took two bonus points as they lost 34-29 to Basingstoke at Oaklands Park.
For a game that had been postponed a week earlier,, Blues made six changes – Ethan Karr joined the pack, Rory Minton, Ollie Evans, Tyrese Makasi and Ethan Etherington were in the backs and Lewis Underwood on the bench.
On a damp and miserable afternoon, Chichester kicked off up the slope and had Basingstoke under pressure in the red zone. A Blues’ knock on provided the visitors with the ball but after seven or eight phases where they failed to get over the gain line the were penalised at the breakdown, allowing Tom Mahon to slot the ball between the posts.
Chi were straight back on the attack winning a scrum penalty on the opposition 10m line which Minton kicked into touch in Vultures’ Corner. The ball was moved across the field with a series of pick and goes before being popped out to Harry Clark to dot down under the posts, converted by Mahon, 10-0.
Soon Chichester moved the ball up the touchline at speed, but were stopped just short by the visitors’ scramble defence and were penalised for holding on.
Basingstoke cleared their lines, made their first substantive visit to the Blues’ red zone and beat the defensive line on the overlap to score, converted for 10-7.
Play ebbed and flowed over the next 20 minutes but on 36 minutes Chichester lost a player to the sin bin. From the penalty lineout on the 5m line Basingstoke scored and Blues had another player sent to the bin.
With their numerical advantage, the visitors drove Chichester back down the slope from the restart and finally broke through the defensive line to score out wide, msking it 10-19 at the interval.
With 45 minutes on the clock Basingstoke increased their lead with a converted try.
Blues got back to their full numbers and the scrum was stabilised with Rory Minton and Mahon pinning back the visitors with their kicking.
On 63 minutes, Ethan Etherington took a clearance kick on the 22m line, went on a long looping run that evaded the Basingstoke players before being stopped on the opposition 22m line.
From the breakdown, the ball was passed to Mahon who put in a crossfield kick to Fin West who advanced towards the try line for an offload to Rob Hennig for the try, 15-26.
Shortly after, Chichester had another player sent to the sin bin, the opposition upped the tempo and scored in Vultures’ Corner, 15-31.
Chichester again found themselves under pressure and conceded a penalty in the red zone which Basingstoke kicked from the tee.
Blues attacked from the restart, forcing Basingstoke into a rushed clearance kick on their try line which resulted in a Blues’ lineout just beyond the 5m line.
Chichester advanced towards the try line with a series of pick and goes before Hayden Scott spotted the gap and dotted down to score, converted by Minton – 22-34.
With the clock running down MoM Ethan Karr collected a loose Basingstoke ball and charged up the touchline into the opposition half. The ball was recycled with urgency and carries from Josh Cameron and Owen Tucker advanced play into the red zone.
Basingstoke infringed and with the referee calling final play, Blues took a tap penalty in an attempt to secure bonus points. Tucker led the charge and, after four phases, the ball was whipped across to Luca Fleming on an unstoppable run to score Chichester’s fourth try and claim bonus points. It was converted by Mahon.