9:23am Tuesday 22nd July 2008
RUGBY LEAGUE
A SERIOUS injury to Stuart Gomersall overshadowed Swindon St George's 58-12 defeat to rivals Oxford Cavaliers in the West Midlands Conference.
The Saints were actually leading the match in the first half when the influential centre Gomersall sustained a badly injured ankle.
The match was held up for three quarters of an hour while an ambulance arrived and the paramedics prepared for Gomersall's trip to hospital.
Later news proved more positive though, with damaged ligaments rather than the initially feared break the diagnosis.
Earlier, Swindon had started well despite Oxford seizing the lead with a four-minute score.
A period of sustained pressure saw the Saints break through just three minutes later to send Jonny Parry over on the right, Steve Johnston's kick levelling the scores.
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 six up and in control.
The enforced delay for Gomersall's injury appeared to hit the home side though, the visitors racing away for a try and goal to tie it up at 12-12.
After the break Oxford took control, running in eight tries to seal their derby victory.
Swindon take to the road this weekend for another derby, when they visit table-topping Bristol.
SQUAD: Frank George, Miles Bennett, Jake Wojbovich, Stuart Gomersall, Jonny Parry, Steve Johnson, Neil Greenwood, Woody Briggs, Richard White, Anthony Weston, Andy Reader, Terry Martin, Paul Gibbon, Mark Brown, Matt Durham
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