The Counts got off to a flying start with tries from winger Omarie Brown and fly-half Hal Mogridge in the first ten minutes. However, any thoughts of an easy victory were soon dispelled as Cranleighans cam back into the game with strong performances from both their pack, who drive play upfield, and their backs who stretched Walcountians’ defence on several occasions. This pressure paid off in the 21st minute when a forward drive led to a try.

This alerted Walcountians to the fact that their opponents were playing for pride and sparked an overall raising of effort. The Counts pack had the edge in the set scrums, with Cranleighans struggling to contain the mountainous Walcountians tight-head prop Ben Anderson, and this paid off in the 33rd minute when Cranleighans were marched back over their goal line from a 5-metre scrum and flanker Dylan Camakamma got his hands on the ball to touch down for a try.

The second half had barely kicked off when the Walcountians pack secured a turnover in possession and Tony French, who had moved to the wing from the back row, left the home side’s defence for dead with an explosive break which led to the Counts fourth try. Walcountians could have scored more but the backs were wasteful with possession, choosing to kick when they should have kept the ball in hand.

Cranleighans were far from finished, with towering lock Jim Fitzmaurice giving the Counts a difficult time in the lineouts. Walcountians also conceded several avoidable penalties, and this gave the home side the opportunity to narrow the score in the seventh minute when their pack rolled a maul over Walcountians’ line. Ten minutes later, Cranleighans reduced the gap to one score when hooker Liam McAndrew took an offload and burst over for a try.

Walcountians needed to raise their performance again and they responded to the challenge, despite losing both Ben Anderson, and his replacement, James Ford, with injuries. In the 25th minute, the forwards secured a turnover after Cranleighans failed to hold a kick and the threequarters swept the ball out to Omarie Brown to score his second try of the day. The Counts extended their lead in the 32nd minute when scrum-half James Bacon banged over a penalty and, in the final minute, Brown got his hat-trick after lock Sam Charnock offloaded the ball to him.

Walcountians are next in action on 11 April when they take on Old Amplefordians at Clock House. Kick-off is at 3pm.

Old Walcountians:- Moorhead, Brown, Beaubrun, Togbolah, Redwood, Mogridge, Bacon, Marsh, Beeson, Anderson, Lawrence, Charnock, Camakamma, French, Andersson.

Subs:- Blackmore, Ford.