Super Stags step on the gas

Harpenden 10 Stevenage Town 50 Stags made up for a poor start by an exhilarating second-half display to destroy Harpenden. The home side were on top early on and led after 10 minutes from a well-struck penalty. Stags responded by playing their expansive g

Harpenden 10 Stevenage Town 50

Stags made up for a poor start by an exhilarating second-half display to destroy Harpenden.

The home side were on top early on and led after 10 minutes from a well-struck penalty.

Stags responded by playing their expansive game but were unable to capitalise on possession due to poor handling.

After a quarter of the match, good support work between Gareth Roberts and Michael Wilson allowed full-back Stuart McReynolds to cross over in the corner to give Stags the lead.

Harpenden fought back and with a lineout won on Stags' 22, they were able to roll and drive a maul all the way over the try line.

Harpenden still led at the break and coach Terry Penny launched into his team with some harsh words. The team responded magnificently with their second-half performance.

Within a few minutes of the half starting, Stevenage took the lead with veteran prop Rod Else crossing the line after Roberts threw out an American Football style pass which Else collected five metres out.

The next try soon followed, with the backs at last beginning to play to their full potential.

The ball reached Wilson who popped an audacious pass behind his back to the outstanding Jordan Ross who cleverly passed back inside to the supporting Wilson as the cover defence approached.

This left Wilson to glide in to score close to the posts.

Wilson also scored the next try after dummying Harpenden's centres, accelerating through the gap to run 50m to score under the posts.

Gareth Lewis, making a welcome return to first team action after spending the summer recovering from an serious injury, became their next try scorer.

A well-executed backs move within Harpenden's 22 allowed Lewis to power over close to the posts.

Next to score was skipper Neil Bamber who supported a backs move to cross over in the corner.

Harpenden were now dead and buried and their cause was not helped as one of the loose forwards was red carded for stamping.

Stags scored again after Harpenden's scrum was taken to pieces by their front row allowing Roberts and Ross to pick up the loose ball and interlink before Roberts ran in from 30m.

With five minutes left, Ian Crompton burst into the line and drew the beleaguered full-back before passing to Kris Foskitt to score in the corner.

Iain Penny converted five of their eight tries.

Coach Penny said: "The response in the second half was most compelling and showed our true potential.

"Consistency is the key to winning this league and it looks like we are starting to click.