Counts off to a flying start

In the opening 10 minutes, Walcountians looked a bit ring-rusty and several promising opportunities were squandered through handling and distribution errors. But in the 12th minute, they opened the scoring with a superbly executed try when centre Brendan Murphy released last season’s top scorer Omarie Brown to sidestep his way past an attempted tackle and touch down for full-back Hal Mogridge to convert.

Walcountians then started to take charge of the match. Forwards Tom Brown, Joe Henderson and Callum Tilleray dominated the rucks and drove the Counts forward relentlessly, and dominance in the set scrums was achieved when burly prop Michael Acquah was introduced. Behind the scrum, fly-half Harry Wrightson, back after a lengthy spell out with injury, and veteran scrum-half Callum Stone cleverly directed play, both with the boot and through intelligent distribution.

The Counts opened up a 17-point lead with two quick tries a quarter of the way through the match. In the 19th minute, rangy lock Olly Sanders drove over for a try after fellow lock Tom Brown was held up on the Belsize Park line. Two minutes later, Walcountians’ skipper Joe Henderson dived on the loose ball as the Counts drove for the Belsize Park line.

The Park defence managed to hold Walcountians at bay for 20 more minutes but the Counts struck again with two more tries as half-time approached. The first, after 41 minutes, saw winger Spencer Moorhead score from close range after the ball was released from a ruck on the Belsize Park line. Then six minutes into stoppage time, the Walcountians pack, anchored by Michael Acquah’s destructive scrummaging, shunted their opponents back over their line from a 5-metre scrum and the Counts No 8, Ed Bellringer, got his hands to the ball and scored their fifth try of the day to give them a 27-point half-time lead.

Walcountians continued the one-way traffic in the second half, despite having to play uphill. The energetic Tom Brown scored a well-deserved try 10 minutes into the half by finishing a move started with a break from his own half by speedster Omarie Brown. Six minutes later, the Counts’ vice-captain Jonny Evans got on the scoresheet after Omarie Brown and Joe Henderson set him up. Evans then demonstrated previously unknown skills by converting both his own try and the earlier score from Tom Brown.

The visitors rallied in the final quarter and began to win some ball for the first time in the match. 32 minutes into the second half, they were rewarded for their efforts with a converted try.

However, it was Walcountians who had the final word three minutes later when Joe Henderson broke to the blind side from a set scrum and released Olly Sanders to run in for his second try of the day.

Walcountians play their opening League match on 16 September when they take on Trinity at Clock House (kick-off 3pm). They may also arrange further friendlies before this match to give their players further game practice.

Old Walcountians:- Mogridge, Brown (O), Murphy, Togbolah, Moorhead, Wrightson, Stone, Evans, Tilleray, Bell, Sanders, Brown (T), Camakamma, Henderson, Bellringer.

Subs:- Acquah, Beeson, Blackmore, Kavanagh, Lever, Mitchell, Ofili, Smart, Stoner.