Basingstoke 16 pts Weston 10 pts

WESTON'S season ground to a halt as they lost their fourth consecutive league match when they were defeated at Down Grange.

The Seasiders were in trouble in all areas.

Their set scrum was severely inconvenienced, their line-out fared little better and their back division struggled to make any headway.

In addition, poor defending in midfield gifted Basingstoke a first-half try and an elementary error after they had got themselves into the match eventually cost them dear.

The scores were level at the end of the first quarter, James Reid and Simon Humberstone having exchanged penalties, but after Matthew Burns had covered well to avert a dangerous situation, the hosts took the lead with a simple try by Simon Buckland which Humberstone converted.

The Basingstoke full-back increased the lead early in the second half with a penalty after Tim Mathias had been dispatched to the sin-bin, but in the 55th minute, Weston were back in touch when Andrew Richards was driven over following Ashley Russell's clean catch at an attacking line-out.

Reid converted, but Basingstoke's long re-start was knocked-on and, under severe pressure, Alec Chase was sent off after receiving his second yellow card.

Humberstone kicked the resultant penalty and with 20 minutes remaining, Weston now required a converted try for an unlikely victory.

Kevin Hobbs, outstanding throughout, sent Burns on a long run, and the equally outstanding Goran Vucicevic was denied a score by a terrible bounce following his clever chip.

But Basingstoke, celebrating the opening of their new grandstand and playing surface, were not to be prevented from achieving a deserved victory.

Weston: G Vucicevic; M Burns, M Lowis, T J Madamombe, P Sprague; J Reid, L Hember; A Chase, D Burge, T Mathias, A Richards (C Chase 71), A Russell, D Cook, K Hobbs (P Morrissey 77), M Denbee (P Morrissey 3) (C Derrick 27-37) (C Derrick 54).Red card: A Chase. Yellow cards: Mathias, A Chase (2).