OWs collapse after promising first half

The Counts were still saddled with a sizeable injury list and, once again, had to field a scratch side with several players promoted from the 2nd XV. They were fully aware of the enormity of the task facing them against opponents who had racked up over 100 points the previous week. The task soon became greater as the opponents opened the scoring with a try in the second minute and with Walcountians losing hooker Jamie Blackmore with a shoulder injury.

The Counts however dug in magnificently in the first half and repelled Twickenham with ferocious defensive tackling, allied to some sound clearance kicks from fly-half Alex Skinner, winger Ted Stoner and full-back Mo Fatah. All Twickenham managed to achieve was a second try in the 25th minute as their forwards drove a maul over the Walcountians tryline.

As the first half drew to a close, Walcountians started to put the Twickenham tryline under pressure for the first time as the pack, superbly marshalled by acting skipper Dom Bell, drove play into the Twickenham half and veteran scrum-half Callum Stone proved a thorn in their sides as his sniping breaks opened gaps in their defence. Three minutes before half-time, Walcountians finally got a just reward for their efforts as second-phase ball set up winger Omarie Brown to leave Twickenham defenders for dead as he raced over for a try.

Any hopes that Walcountians might pull off a shock victory against the fourth-placed team in the league were rapidly extinguished in the second half as their first half exertions started to take effect. The Twickenham backline, which had been effectively policed in the first half, started to find gaps in the Counts’ defence and they ran in eight tries, three of which came in the final ten minutes of stoppage time added on by the referee. However, Walcountians refused to throw in the towel and scored two more tries. The first came in the 27th minute when the pack rolled a maul over the Twickenham line for replacement hooker Alec Beeson to get the touchdown. The second came five minutes into stoppage time and saw centre Andy Togbolah score a brilliant solo try as he outpaced and sidestepped his way past the Twickenham defence.

Walcountians have one more league match left this season. On 6 April, they take on fellow strugglers Trinity at Lime Meadow Avenue, Sanderstead, kicking off at 3pm.