Stags win three in a row to move off the bottom

Old Newtonians 8-24 Huntingdon Stags

STAGS hauled themselves off the bottom of the table with a win at Newts, who now inherit the position.

The win made it four out of their last five games for Stags as they continue their battle to overhaul the eight-point penalty imposed last month.

With just two changes from the previous weeks side and a settled combination in the backs, Stags delivered a lively opening and went in front with a Damien Whales penalty.

James Pinkney was dominating the line out and Stags soon went 6-0 up with another penalty.

But as quickly as the weather changed, the momentum was lost, and Newts hit back with a penalty of their own and forced Stags into defence.

The defence held firm and Stags turned the tables, with the Newts flanker in the sin bin the resultant penalty gave Stags a 9-3 half time lead that was thoroughly deserved.

Basic Stags errors at the beginning of the second half allowed Newts a try in the corner to cut the margin to one point. But the visitors responded almost at once with the best move of the match, the ball going through a number of hands to reach Ali Dunsdon, who touched down his first try of the season.

Stags managed the pressure at the set scrum well and their all round play kept them in the ascendancy. The excellent Greg Smith made yards from the base of a scrum and fed Chris Pape to score a try which Whales converted.

A further Whales penalty secured the victory before he was sin-binned, but Stags saw the game out.

n Stags face Towcester at the Racecourse on Saturday at 2.15pm.