The match was closely contested and often tense as two well-matched sides collided with each other. There was little to separate the Counts and Chipstead as the two packs largely cancelled each other out and the defensive tackling was strong from both teams.

The first half was threatening to be scoreless until the 30th minute when Walcountians took the lead. The Counts were awarded a tap penalty on the Chipstead 5-metre line and "The People's Champion", prop Dom Bell, who was making his 200th first team appearance, blasted aside the Chipstead defensive cover to touch down.

Unfortunately, the second half saw Walcountians concede a stream of penalties, and this was to give Chipstead the territorial advantage from which they scored two tries to win the match. The first came after 14 minutes when scrum-half Chris Small made a sniping break from a ruck close to the Counts line. The second came in the final minute of normal time when centre Harry d’Antiquis took an offload while in space on the right wing and went over just as the Walcountians’ cover got to him.

Walcountians had several opportunities of their own to overturn Chipstead’s lead, but were unable to penetrate the visitors’ tight defence and excessively hasty decisions let Chipstead off the hook.

Next Saturday, Walcountians travel to Imber Court, Thames Ditton where they take on Metropolitan Police. Kick-off is at 2pm.

Old Walcountians:- Fletcher-Rogers, Redwood, Togbolah, Beaubrun, Sanders, French, Bacon, Ford, Blackmore, Bell, Lawrence, Thomas, Camakamma, Charnock, Bateman.

Subs:- Smart (used), Anderson (not used), Doherty (not used).