Overseas stun Stompers

Overseas 38
Sliema Stompers 5

The formbook was turned upside down last weekend as Overseas trounced favourites Stompers in a league match at Marsa.

Stompers seem to have abandoned their free running style lately. In this match they were obsessed with angled runs and reverse passes into a crash ball situation, which slowed down the attacks and gave Overseas an easy job in defence.

Overseas launched their first effective foray and from a scrum, Wright sliced the Stompers defence with change of pace and dummies to give a scoring pass to team-mate Du Toit, who then missed an easy conversion.

Sadly, Wright was injured soon after and had to leave the field.

Du Toit and McCrae were a constant inventive source for Overseas and Beukman a non-stop livewire.

Stompers were too easily predictable. They gave away a penalty in the ruck and relaxed as they expected a shot at goal. However, a quick take spun the ball along the line for Boland to score, converted by Du Toit.

Stompers were stung into action and battled their way into the Overseas 22. Under the pressure, McDonald, of Overseas, got sin-binned.

But, Du Toit pounced on a loose Stompers pass and powered through the defence for another try which he also converted.

This blow for Stompers was followed by a pass to an unmarked Jones on the blindside of a set scrum and he flew home to score another unconverted try.

So, 12 points were added to Overseas’ tally when a man down. Half-time saw them enjoying a deserved 24-point lead.

Although Stompers started the second half determinedly, Overseas’ sub centre was first to a dropped pass to run in under the posts, converted by Du Toit.

To make matters worse for Stompers, Camilleri got a yellow card for a late tackle.

Overseas camped inside the Stompers’ half but their passing concentration dropped so there was no final penetration.

At last, Stompers broke out and gained a penalty. Galea took a fast tap, and, after interpassing with Attard and Satariano, scored a try. Attard missed the conversion.

Twice Overseas wasted a three-man overlap with sloppy passing before Du Toit broke the defence for a try he also converted.

Late on, Stompers came back but wasted some clear chances by cutting back inside when they had the fastest man on the field, Pavanello, ignored on the left.

Indeed, this was a surprise result which will make the league all the more competitive and interesting as the season unfolds.