Stags win poor affair

Midlands 3 East (South)

Northampton Casuals 0 Huntingdon Stags 5

THIS was not a game anyone could get excited about and the player who appeared most satisfied on the day was the Casuals flanker who was sin-binned in the second half and able to put his feet up for a while.

At times neither team appeared very interested in proceedings as the dour affair meandered along.

Stags at least can boast their first clean sheet and third double of the season but the two points that keep them in fifth place were hardly won in style.

The closest Casuals got to scoring throughout the game was in the first three minutes when the home side forward let the ball slip through his grasp on the try line but after that the Stags coped pretty comfortably with their one-dimensional pick and drive game.

The problem for Stags was that ball retention, passing and handling were all poor and though there were moments of individual enterprise and skill, the support was rarely there.

Half time at 0-0 was a true reflection of a dire 40 minutes, although the hosts looked the happier with the elements now in their favour.

In fact it was Stags who took the game to the hosts and, when awarded a kickable penalty, opted for the quick dart, forcing Casuals to infringe again and see their flanker sin-binned.

From the penalty Stags finally put a few passes together enabling Dale Abblitt to go over wide out to make it 5-0.

On the hour, Casuals having lost their hooker and a prop, scrums went uncontested, thus rendering the proceedings even more sterile.

At about the same time Tom McCreadie received a yellow and an anxious 10 minutes seemed in prospect.

In fact, Casuals had neither the pace nor the guile to trouble a Stags defence that did its job all afternoon. Stags brought on all their substitutes and played out the final period, largely in midfield.

n Next up for Stags is a visit from Leicester Forest on March 29.