The Counts needed the points to ensure they stay in the same League next season and suffered an early setback when Dons centre Matt Laventure kicked two penalties in the second and 11th minute to open a six-point lead. The Dons showed at an early stage why they are second in the League with fly-half Matt Rees orchestrating a slick threequarter line. However, Walcountians soon fought back as their pack, with skipper Callum Tilleray, Jamie Blackmore, Dom Bell and Dylan Camakamma outstanding, drove play up the Clock House slope into the Dons 22. In the 16th minute, the Counts took the lead when livewire scrum-half Seb Chmielinski broke from a ruck and left the Dons defence grasping at thin air as he raced over for a try which full-back Hal Mogridge converted.

Wimbledonians regained the lead two minutes later when winger Ashley Saunter finished off a threequarter move and the Counts suffered a major setback in the 26th minute when Seb Chmielinski went off with an ankle injury. However, Walcountians continued to cause problems for the visitors; centre Callum Stone, a 1st XV player for over 20 years, switched to scrum-half with great effect and the Counts wingers Marvin Fletcher-Rogers and Ted Stoner repeatedly stretched the Dons’ defence. The Counts were denied the opportunity to regain the lead when centre Andy Togbolah was held up on the Dons’ line in the 33rd minute. As half-time approached, Hal Mogridge kicked a valuable penalty which put the Counts within one point of the visitors.

Unfortunately for Walcountians, two moments of carelessness in the opening 11 minutes of the second half effectively handed victory to the Dons. The first came from the kick-off when Walcountians were first to retrieve the ball but failed to secure it safely, from which Wimbledonians fly-hacked the ball forward for winger Ashley Saunter to win the chase and touch down or his second try of the day. The second came ten minutes later when Walcountians failed to find touch with a clearance kick and gave the Dons threequarters a gilt-edged opportunity to put their other winger, Lewis MacSween in for a try which Matt Laventure converted. This followed an exchange of penalties between Hal Mogridge for the Counts and Matt Laventure for the Dons.

Walcountians’ tendency to concede penalties in rucks proved costly, and Matt Laventure banged over his side’s fourth penalty in the 17th minute to put them 16 points clear. However, Walcountians enjoyed a strong final quarter as veteran forwards Ben Anderson and Matt Houghton came on as replacements, and Anderson in particular made a massive impact in the set scrums as the Counts shunted Wimbledonians backwards. It was Anderson who brought the Counts back into the game in the 27th minute when he drove over for a try from a ruck on the Wimbledonians line.

The Dons had one more score before full-time when Matt Laventure kicked his fifth penalty of the day as the 40-minute mark approached. The final word fell to Walcountians who were awarded a penalty try five minutes into stoppage time when a blatant obstruction prevented a certain try for them.

Walcountians remain in ninth place in the League and face a tense end to the season. Although their closest rivals, Old Cranleighans, conceded points through a walkover, 11th-placed Old Blues closed the gap on both clubs with a convincing victory over Old Whitgiftians. The Counts have two League matches remaining, the first of which is away to Metropolitan Police at Imber Court on 22 March. They need positive outcomes from both if they are to avoid being sucked into the relegation places.

Old Walcountians:- Mogridge, Fletcher-Rogers, Togbolah, Stone, Stoner, Henderson, Chmielinski, Tilleray, Blackmore, Ford, Lawrence, Bell, Charnock, Camakamma, Sanders.

Subs:- Anderson, Harrison, Houghton.