UNDERBANK Rangers continued their strong start to the National Conference campaign with a 20-12 home win over Hemel Stags.

It proved to be a defensive battle in which Underbank took their few scoring chances while Hemel didn’t.

The Stags put in a tremendous effort but, with back row forwards Rob Joyce and Sam Housley to the fore, Rangers prevented a late win for the visitors.

Underbank opened the scoring after three minutes after Hemel conceded two quick penalties and Rangers’ man of the match Andy Boothroyd swatted off six tacklers and handed on to centre Nick Briggs, who brushed off the attention of two defenders to crash over.

Neil Barrett added the extras to give Underbank a 6-0 advantage and from that point on defences dominated.

Hemel had a decent chance to level the scores as prop forward Illya Radan gave a perfect inside pass for the supporting Barrie-Jon Swindells to race on to, but Will Midgley cut him down with a text book low down tackle.

Underbank were next to threaten to score as Briggs raced onto a superb Boothroyd short pass.

The Aussie centre released a great offload to his wing partner Courtney Allette, who looked certain to score, but he lost the ball in the tackle and the scoring opportunity had gone.

Hemel then commanded possession and field position, but couldn’t make the pressure tell.

After repelling yet another Stags attack, Barrett spotted a gap and raced 90 metres for a tremendous try, which he converted to give Underbank a 12-0 lead at the break.

Hemel instantly went on the attack in the second half when Yusuf Lawal raced through, but inexplicably he couldn’t ground the ball as he went out of the in goal area.

To add to Hemel’s woes Rangers raced back upfield in the following set of six for Craig Williams to score on the back of a superb Chris Geoghegan break and inside pass.

Hemel, however, dominated much of the half and were thwarted time after time by either handling errors or superb goal line defence from Underbank.

However, the visitors finally got on the scoreboard as Dan Grevsmuhl crashed over and BJ Swindells added the goal.

Barrett steadied home nerves with a penalty after a high shot from the visitors and, despite BJ Swindell’s late score and conversion from a neat inside pass from half back Ryan Butcher, Rangers held out for victory over battling opponents.

Underbank Rangers: Midgley; Allettte, Briggs, Worthington, Hendrick; Barrett, Chatterton; Williams, Boothroyd, Dalby, Housley, Rob Joyce, St Hilaire. Replacements (all used): Mitchell, Geoghegan, Horn, Cummings.

Hemel Stags: BJ Swindells; Lawal, Rice, Henderson, Adams; Squires, Butcher; Parmer, G Swindells, Radan, Gresvsmuhl, Thompson-Essex, M’Baraga. Replacements (all used): Stevens, Ward, Boyd-Barnes, Kennedy.