Stags apply no pressure

Midlands 3 East (South)

Huntingdon Stags 0

Wellingborough 31

STAGS were shut out by a Wellingborough side that never gave the hosts a scrap to feed on.

The result saw the home side slip two places down the table whilst the visitors consolidated second place behind Leighton Buzzard.

Stags could feel slightly aggrieved at the score but not the result as they were clearly second best to highly efficient and capable opponents.

Wellingborough have had a settled side all season and it showed as they coped comfortably when Stags had the ball and finished clinically for their four tries.

Stags were against the wind in the first half and were probably satisfied to be just 3-0 down after 20 minutes.

Then, Elliot Baldwin, with Ben Strangeways the pick of the Stags, was dispatched rather harshly to the sin bin and the resulting penalty was kicked from halfway to make it 6-0.

The visitors then created two tries before the break as Stags were guilty throughout the half of being turned over far too often.

The 18-0 half-time score was a touch cruel on the hosts but given the elements must have felt they could make a game of it if they could get some early points.

Though they now had near equality of possession, Stags were unable to put together sufficient phases or to achieve the continuity to trouble the visiting defence.

Wellingborough absorbed the pressure, pushed the Stags back and a third try and a penalty put the result beyond doubt.

Stags made substitutions and despite having more territory they failed to create space and lacked penetration as Wellingborough suffocated all their efforts.

There was time for one more try by the visitors towards the end and though Stags could not be faulted for their endeavour or commitment, the virtue of the sound organisation and well-drilled teamwork of the visitors were plain for all to see.