CAMBERLEY LOSE LAST TIGHT MATCH

CAMBERLEY LOSE LAST TIGHT MATCH
C S STAGS 1863 12 CAMBERLEY 5

It was a crowded Dukes Meadow in Chiswick on Saturday with a huge tag rugby competition held at the large ground all day. This final league match was hosted by the noted Civil Service side founded in those very early days of 1863. It was played on their fine G3 pitch.
Stags played the first half with the wind in their favour. But after starting well with forays to the opposition 22 Cam started making handling errors. One of these in defence led to a try in 15 minutes by Stags so being unconverted gave them a five point lead. Another error saw an assault on the Cam line but heroic defence could not eventually stop the score. So with the conversion Stags were 12 nil up in 23 minutes.
The last ten minutes of the first half saw good advances by Cam. With two minutes remaining a line out on the 5 meter mark then the trademark drive was repelled again by good defence by Stags. So at the interval it was the twelve point difference.
With the wind in their favour Cam started the second half promisingly but again moves were broken up by handling errors. Changes in the pack after 17 minutes saw both props replaced and James McNally joining the back five. Two more good attacks came to nothing before in 28 minutes the Cam pressure eventually saw number 8 Mac Duabie over in a forwards drive. Not converted so still seven points behind.
Cam kept up the pressure and were close on two occasions but could not break the hosts resolute defence. The frustration of just failing to score after good moves was summed up right at the end when a 5 meter line out after a penalty saw the ball lost and the match over.
So two teams were well matched both with solid packs and defences. Cam may of course rue the handling errors. But they finished a merited second in the table seven points behind champions Havant and two ahead of London Welsh in third slot.
For the regular spectators some fine rugby at this good standard throughout the season. It included a magnificent win at London Welsh and then winning the home match and then drawing at Havant – the champions thus failing to beat second placed Camberley.