thisishampshire.net | Your portal to Hampshire

'Stoke are relegated

From the archive, first published Friday 19th Mar 2004.

IAN CALDER admits his pride has taken a battering after his Basingstoke side failed to stay in National League rugby.

After a struggling campaign rooted in the drop zone, 'Stoke's 21-20 defeat at Dings Crusaders last weekend effectively sealed their division three south relegation.

A crushed Calder said: "As the guy in charge of the boys, us getting relegated reflects on me. It hurts. I had an awful weekend.

"Like about five other games this season, we should have beaten Dings and got the points.

"Looking at those games, the 10 points would have made all the difference. There's been a lot of games we should have won."

However, Basingstoke's director of rugby is not looking for excuses.

He said: "Over the league season and 26 games, you do find out your true position.

"We had a mathematical chance of staying up, but we haven't been good enough or consistent enough this season to avoid going down.

"It's very disappointing. The club deserves national rugby. The set-up here belongs in national rugby.

"But that's not what it's judged on. You don't get points for facilities."

Calder knows what the main problem has been this season - a lack of playing resources.

He said: "The depth of players isn't strong enough to cope.

"Losing a bloke like Steve Collins was huge. He just trains and trains and sadly broke his leg.

"We lost Kelvin Chapman and Steve Drawbridge on the morning of Saturday's game.

"So I had to ask Ross Stirling, who's been out injured for six weeks, and Chris Hampson to step up in a position that's new to him. They both played very well, though.

"Meanwhile, Dings were able to field their strongest team of the season. You're already up against it.

"Also, when we haven't had players through injury, not having a strong second team means I haven't got the right standard of guys to come in."

Tomorrow (2.30pm), league leaders Launceston visit Down Grange.

Calder said: "We want to be remembered well by the last clubs we play this season.

"The boys have a chance to knock the top dogs off. That's our motivation. Restoring pride to the jersey is important.

"Okay, we're relegated, but I want the boys to finish on a high."

Basingstoke: M Lucas; R Holmes, S Buckland, M Roeske, Y Cullum; I Calder, T Vincent; N Young, M Evans, S Hobden, R Stirling, K Chapman (capt), C Hampson, S Appleby, S St Bernard. Reps: N Barton, Carl White, S Buttle, S Drawbridge.

Archive Home