Pressure was on the stags this weekend after two recent big losses which meant nothing less than a W was needed against the visitors, Broadstreet.

The game started off as a close encounter, small breaks here and there but it was the stags who got first blood. Stags built pressure after a few earlier mistakes and after a few pick and goes the ball found it’s way to bully who spun the tackler and pushed through another couple defenders for the try and the following conversion under the sticks.
Stags 7 - 0 Bstreet

Bstreet followed this up with some pressure of their own and found two clean breaks during the remainder of the half, both ending in tries.

Half time
Stags 7 - 12 Bstreet

Stern but fair words from the returning Ben Ashfield were met well at half time and the stags were pumped.
Honourable mention again to Jocky for the half time oranges which always are perfectly ripe.

Stags got them selves quickly established into the second half were a lovely 50:22 kick was made by the stags fly half whose name is now only uttered in the shadows. From this kick the forwards set up a maul which, despite Bstreets efforts, kept going forwards and Clayton was the man touching it down. Worth mentioning here that Ricky tried to take credit for this tut tut.

Conversion missed

Stags 12 - 12 Bstreet

From this point onwards the ties had well and truly turned, some subs were made a non bigger an impact than Norton who got himself well into the game early doors getting himself wedged in the head of Bstreet skipper. Following some midfield play another 50:22 is used to perfection from the stags better looking Hubbard at 15.

Somewhere from this Norton has the ball at the back of either a scrum or a maul, picks the ball up, channels his inner sonic the hedgehog speeding round a couple players as well as bumping one for fun to dot over for the second of the half.
Stags 17-12 Bstreet (need a new kicker)

Stags continued this pressure from the kick off where the stags hushed 10 breaks the line only to be caught by the bstreet flanker very quickly. Some slick rucking and hands meant the ball got wide quickly and the young S Hubbard finding himself in the right place to finish the play.
24-12

Again bstreet from the kick off found themselves under pressure with another scurrying carry from Norton giving stags good gainline as well as Pads now entering the fray. Pads takes a simple carry and bounces the defenders in front of them, he then runs backwards to bounce the same defender as he wanted more, he then gets tackled and winds himself with the ball. A very exciting passage of play. Stags made good yards from carries and kicks all the way through to the bstreet 5m line where Harvey runs a line at some pace to go over untouched. Many said had he runs the same line in the first half he could’ve had two but never mind.
31-12

Stags continued to play in the right places and again found themselves with possession in the bstreet half, backs end up with possession of the ball and some very slick hands from Norton gets the ball outwide where bully runs a lovely supporting line, could’ve given it to Smithers on the wing but decides to step the last player and give himself an easier shot at goal, understandable. Smithers fuming at this with his hands on his hips staring bully out.
36-12

The final two tries were very similar, good pressure as a team getting to the red zone and then finished off well out wide. scored by Ratcliffe and S Hubbard

Final score
Stags 51 - 12 bstreet

Very good performance by the stags in tricky conditions.

Man of the match - Isaac Norton
Very good impact from the bench, scored one and assisted others very well.

Honourable mention to Ben Marshall, loves a 5 man line out so he can run over smaller backs as well as Ben Deacon who carried very well and threw strong in gale force winds.

Up the Stags

Josh Leonard