Dominant Stow remain unbeaten (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Dominant Stow remain unbeaten

5:20pm Thursday 7th February 2013 in Sport

STOW-on-the-Wold Rugby Club powered on towards the Berks/Bucks and Oxon Premier Division title with a 30-0 triumph at Littlemore.

Eight league games remain but Stow boast a 100 per cent record and are 13 points ahead of second- placed Chipping Norton.

Chippy have a game in hand after playing in the Southern Counties Senior Vase final last weekend, losing 25-5 at home to Marlborough.

For Stow at Littlemore, both sides seemed rusty after the weather-induced break in an error-strewn start.

However, after an infringement at an attacking home lineout, Stow took a quick free-kick and made up ground before Nick Cafearo kicked a penalty for a ruck infringement. A loose kick from the Littlemore second row allowed the visitors to go through four phases before a barnstorming run by Henry Teare from the opposition 22 into the corner.

The conversion fell short but Cafearo beat several tackles and passed to James Holmes who made it 13-0 at half-time.

Early in the second-half, a quick pass to Edd Fanshawe saw him streak down the touchline from half-way and score under the posts with Cafearo converting.

From the restart, Stow’s forwards took the ball through several pairs of hands and linked with the backs.

Cafearo was dragged down just short but Chris Powlesland followed up to score an unconverted try in the corner. Then, after a scrum won against the head, Craig Chapman came round on the loop and passed to Cafearo who rounded two defenders to score in the corner.

Stow host Phoenix at home on Saturday (2.30pm).

Meanwhile, Chippy were overpowered by Marlborough from Wiltshire in the Vase final.

They enjoyed early pressure but the visitors hit back to score a try in the corner and defended superbly, leading 10-0 at the break.

Chippy gave away needless penalties and were reduced to 14 men in the second-half with Marlborough bagging three tries in the last 10 minutes.

The hosts scored a consolation try from the last play.