Stompers 27
Falcons 41
The last time these two teams had faced each other, it was Stompers who came out on top 28-21.
But this is a new season and the Falcons side, who have been together since Under 18 Rugby, came of age in this free running game.
Both teams seemed a little nervous on MatchDay 2 of the Cisk Lager League and play did not flow accordingly, as knock-ons and wayward passes went to ground, affected by the swirling wind.
Richard Gum put the first points on the board after an over-eager Falcons player was pen-alised for offside, as Stompers attacked into the Falcon’s 22.
But Falcons hit back, running deep into the Stompers half, winning a penalty, then with a quick tap and bash for Daniel Holliday to score under a pile of bodies.
Playing with the wind and sun behind him, Gum’s restarts were causing problems for Falcons, as they dropped several restarts putting themselves under pressure.
From a scrum restart, with Avramovic providing quick service to his backs, the ball went wide with Milan Auport running into the backline to hand Stompers an 8-5 lead with 15 minutes on the clock.
A yellow card was flashed for a deliberate knock on, as Falcons were hot on attack, with a break up in the middle from their little scrumhalf Antoine Vergeon, then setting up his winger for a run in to score.
Stompers JJ Micallef slapped the ball down and was marched to the sinbin by referee Gabriele Raposa Sainz. From the lineout, a smart play by Holliday allowed him score in the corner to leave Falcons leading 10-8.
Play went backwards and forwards for the remainder of the 40 minutes with Dragan Cerketta scoring from a quick ball from his scrumhalf Aljosa Avramovic.
Gum converted and Stompers were back in front 15 to 10.
Falcons launched a series of attacks from lineouts close to the Stompers line, winning a penalty and like a flash, Vergeone tapped and dived over, with the Stompers still arguing with the referee to level the scores at 15-all.
But the champions quickly got back into their stride, putting fullback Auport in at the corner to score his second try.
To end the half, Falcons player Dimitrije Avramovic was yellow-carded for repeatedly back-chatting the referee.
With the wind behind them and only trailing 20-15, Falcons seemed to grow in confidence and stature.
A red Card had reduced Stompers to 14 men and Falcons swooped, scoring tries by Andre Galea, Erakovic, Brendan Dalton and Daniel Holliday, his third of the game.
“Pancho” rode again with a catch and drive from a lineout to force his way over, taking the score out to 41-20 with the three conversions by Liam Davis.
Stompers were trying to get back into the game with their big forwards Ellul, Hili, Cerketta, Zanin, all trying to go forward, but Falcons had shut the door tight with their defence.
In the final minutes of the game, as Stompers chased a bonus point, Avramovic scored from a quick tap penalty near the posts, with Auport’s quick drop kick conversion to bridge the gap to 41-27.
Men of the match: Nebojsa Erekovich (Falcons); Milan Auport (Stompers).
Other result: Kavallieri vs Overseas 26-14.