AN ENTERTAINING clash
at Reigate last Saturday
brought the curtain down on
Winchester's season.
And, nightmare start notwithstanding,
they know this was a game they could and
should have won.
To concede three tries inside the first
15 minutes is not exactly encouraging in a
match the visitors needed to win to ensure
a fifth place finish in the league, so perhaps
defeat and sixth place with an even
won-lost record was poetic justice.
Some supporters had barely left the bar
before ORs posted a score by Ed Bartlett,
who bundled his way over from point
blank range.. Full back, Mervyn Manus,
then added a second as he strolled
through a non-existent Winchester
defence.
But again the conversion was missed.
Indeed, a trail of missed place kicks
should have cost the hosts, given that
Winchester had begun to look a unit,
albeit only after giving away another try
to wing man Andre Bothe.
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He and Manus looked lively throughout
as ORs put some good moves together.
But once the visitors began winning
enough ball to play with, they had the
momentum with the wind at their backs
in the second half.Some aggressive forward
play gave the first
indication thatWinchester
had settled to the task as a
brace of penalties by Andy
Ashwin proved beyond all
doubt that there really
were two sides on the rain
soaked field.
The referee seemed to
agree as he sent one player
from each side to the
sin bin for airing their differences
in public.
But now the Winchester
pack had discovered the
way to go, taking the battle
to their opponents.
Tom Pervin was magnificently
bossing the lineout
and hooker Tom Bolland
was eating up so much
ground that a lesser player
might have got indigestion.
It was appropriate then
that Bolland broke from
the pack for a trademark
score that had the visiting
supporters roaring with
delight.
Ashwin converted and amazingly
Winchester had pulled to within two by
doing little more than get the basics
right, attitude being complemented by
solid achievement.
Surely the second half would bring
more of the same? Well, the attitude was
OK at least, but not a point in sight for
either side.
ORsmade several good breaks and perhaps
shaded the territorial battle until
the last few minutes.
ButWinchester know they should have
made more of good possession.
Perhaps they pressed the panic button
too soon as they began running the ball
from far too deep in their own half.
They were in charge and they let their
underlings off the hook.
Three times ORs missed penalty kicks
from more or less straight in front of the
posts in the second half, the clearest indication
of all toWinchester that, as long as
they remained tight, the game was there
for the taking.
What might have been! In the closing
stages the visitors threw the kitchen sink
and all a home's white goods at the opposition,
but ORs too remained tight as an
engrossing game reached its climax.
The end of season entertainment in the
clubhouse afterwards seemed to confirm
the atmosphere in which the game had
been played. Sin-binnings had been forgotten
and a truce called.
Had promotion or relegation hung on
the result of the game, the entertainment
on the field would no doubt have been different,
though not necessarily more gripping.
As things stood, two sides had given
their all. 15-15 might have been a fair
result but Winchester had their chances
and can have few complaints. Next season
will come soon enough.
WINCHESTER: A Welch, Woods, B Welch, Rogers, Arthur
(Farrington 67), Brown, Ashwin, Rice (Hancock 67),
Bolland, Moreton, Manning, Daniels, Pervin, Kirkaldy
(Waterman 60), Knight
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