Newbury Stags Rugby enjoy big win away at Slough

Newbury Stags won their first game since October, as they travelled to face Slough with only eighteen players available.

Stags kicked off on a warm sunny afternoon, with Kyle Doel charging through the Slough tacklers to score under the posts in the fifth minute.

George Shakespeare added the conversion to make it 7-0 early on.

Jamie Futcher ran around the Slough defenders to score a second just four minutes later to make it 12-0.

Stags’ rampant start continued, as Sean Siggerman made a great solo run from just inside the Slough half to make it 19-0 with thirteen minutes on the clock.

Slough kept up the pressure on Stags, releasing their backs to break through the Stags tackles and score close to the posts for 19-7 with half an hour gone.

Newbury’s response was almost instantaneous, as Patch Anderson took the lead to 24-7 with a try.

Slough made some early progress, but Stags continued their attacking dominance in the second half, as Louis Carnell and Ashley Doel both scored within three minutes of each other to make it 36-17 on the hour-mark.

George Shakespeare ran down the touchline from halfway to score in the 63rd minute, leaving the Slough defenders for dead as the lead increased to 41-17.

Slough scored their bonus point try under the posts and kicked the conversion, as the gap reduced to 41-24.

This was the end of the hosts’ scoring though, as Siggerman burst through the lines for his second try of the match.

A series of penalties followed, with Slough trying to hang on, but they couldn’t prevent Graham Stewart’s try at the death.

The 55-24 win is Stags’ fourth of the season, their first since beating Thatcham on October 19th.

They sit second bottom on 22 points, with Thatcham the only team below them.

Stags travel to Marlow II on Saturday, with just three games left of their season.