The second half of this match was close, Tows shading it 8-5, thanks to a try in the final move. Sadly for Stags ,Tows were 31-5 up at half time.

Of the eight tries scored in total, six went to the visitors, all of them to their backs, their right wing bagging a hat-trick. Towcester also notched up nine points (three conversions and a penalty) from the boot, Stags being scoreless in that department.

Stags went 5-0 down quickly and 12-0 down not long afterwards. Though Stags had a fair amount of ball, too much of it was turned over and they looked pedestrian set against the sure handling and quick running of the visitors.

Nonetheless, Stags kept at it and good work by Tim Furbank and incisive lines of running led to a most satisfying try for Quentin Minnaar under the posts. Though Towcester replied quickly, Stags had a penalty to keep within touching distance. It was not successful, the visitors immediately went to the other end for a converted try so what might have been 8-17 came to be 5-24 and, effectively, the end of the contest. Tows managed one more score and in a half that produced remarkably few set scrums and in which Stags’ defensive frailties were all too clearly exposed, the heaviest defeat of the season was an unappealing prospect.

Whether Tows took their foot off the pedal or Stags tightened up considerably was not entirely clear-probably a bit of both-but the second half was much less of a mismatch. Indeed, after an early Towcester penalty, Stags scored the first try of the half, by Charlie Cook, put in by Matt Durrant and Simon Orange and exchanges were generally pretty even.

Stags will play their rugby in Midlands 3 next season. It is not an easy league and if they are seriously to challenge for promotion to Midlands 2, some recruitment will be necessary during the summer and the younger players will have to start realising their potential.