Swindon ST George 12 Oxford Cavaliers 58 

Stuart Gomersall gets taken to hospital

 

It was all looking rosy for Swindon in the first 20 minutes, despite the visitors having taken a 4th minute lead.

A period of sustained pressure saw the Saints break through just 3 minutes later to send Jonny Parry over on the right, Steve Johnston’s kick levelling the score.

At that point it was all Swindon and it came as no surprise when Johnston himself touched down in the 15th minute, again adding the points to put the home side 6 up and in control.

Disaster struck, however, almost immediately after the restart when the influential Stuart Gomersall sustained a badly injured ankle.

It looked at the time as if more substantial damage had been incurred and the game was held up for three quarters of an hour for an ambulance to arrive and for the paramedics to perform initial treatment before taking the unfortunate centre off to hospital.

The enforced delay appeared to have more effect on the home side because, on the restart, the visitors raced away for a try and goal to tie things up at 12 all, a score-line that stayed till half time.

After the break Oxford took control, running in no less than 8 tries to seal their derby victory.

The news from the hospital is that Gomersall’s injury does indeed appear to be damaged ligaments rather than the initially feared break and every one at the club wishes their popular colleague a speedy and full recovery.

Meanwhile Swindon take to the road again next week for another derby, when they visit table-topping Bristol.