Basingstoke came into this game looking to put right the errors from the previous week that had seen 4 sin-binned.  The weather was fine and with little breeze Basingstoke started brightly and took the game to the visitors.  The pack firing in the loose and tight were setting a good platform and all the signs were positive for a strong performance and knocking the visitors unbeaten record. Within the first 5 minutes Stoke were in the points with a try to Neil Barton, following good interplay between backs and forwards.  Mike Goodall was unable to add the conversion and failed with a penalty on 18 minutes.  Basingstoke continued to have the best of the first half but did not look like breaching the visitors defence.  So the half ended with the score at 5-0 Basingstoke.  The second half and Old Albanians confidence seemed to be rising and they were causing Basingstoke a few problems.  On 65 minutes they produced a strong driving maul which went over the line allowing them to level the score as the skipper touched down.  The try being converted they had a narrow lead of 5-7.  Basingstoke continued to struggle to cause the visitors problems and on 71 minutes Old Albanians put the game beyond Basingstoke with a further converted try from Russell Osman. A disappointing end to what had started out so brightly for Basingstoke and a final score of:

Basingstoke 5 Old Albanians 14

Team: Neil Young (C), Glenike Hawea, Matt Oliver, George Scott, Nick Cooper, Chris Williams (Jim Dixon 69 mins), Simon Appleby, Ross Stirling, Darren Lillywhite, Dean Fenn, Karl Buttle, Robbie Northcote, Mike Goodall, Robbie Holmes, Neil Barton. Subs not used Jamie Folan, Tim Richards.