Stoppage time proves fatal for Counts

There was little to separate the Counts from their opponents in this evenly-matched clash. Midwives had the edge in the set scrums but, in the loose, there was commitment and aggression from skipper Will Thornton, hooker Rob Fleming, prop Remy Claustres and No 8 Ollie Dodwell which gave Walcountians a good share of the spoils. Both sides were deadlocked until the 16th minute when Walcountians’ winger Ed Bellringer intercepted a pass in his own 22 and left a stunned Midwives defence in his wake as outsprinted them to score from 80 metres. Full-back Ed Armitage added the conversion to put the Counts seven points up.

The reliable boot of Armitage added two penalties to put Walcountians 13 points clear as the 40-minute mark approached. However, there was seven minutes of stoppage time added on and Midwives used this to their advantage when their right-winger crossed for a converted try.
Walcountians continued to take the challenge to the second-placed team in Surrey League 1 and fly-half George Charnock in particular proved a handful for the Midwives defence. However, it was to be Ed Bellringer who was on call to score his and Walcountians second try of the day in the 22nd minute when he made another explosive break from way out after Will Thornton had taken play forward from the Walcountians half. Ed Armitage’s conversion gave Walcountians what looked a secure 13-point lead.

However, the visitors were in no mood to capitulate and the struggle of trying to contain a heavier pack started to tell on Walcountians. Midwives started to get the upper hand in possession and, in the 30th minute, reduced Walcountians’ lead when their pack drove the Counts off their own ball at a 5-metre scrum and touched down.

Walcountians had one last flourish which appeared to have won them the match in the 33rd minute when flanker Joe Henderson fired in a grubber kick which winger Marvin Fletcher-Rogers ran onto to touch down. But a second pushover try from the visitors in the 40th minute drew them to within four points of Walcountians and, as the match drifted into stoppage time, they snatched victory eight minutes in when their left-winger was put in for a try against a stretched Walcountians defence.

Walcountians are still fourth in Surrey League 1 but, ominously, there is now just a three point gap between Walcountians and ninth-placed Law Society. Further defeats could put the Counts at risk of being sucked back into a fight against relegation.

Next Saturday, Walcountians face a tough battle against League leaders Old Whitgiftians at Croham Road, Croydon. Kick-off is at 2:30pm.

Old Walcountians: Armitage, Fletcher-Rogers, Vadivelu, Kennedy, Bellringer, Charnock, McMullen (T), Abou-Zeid, Fleming, Claustres, Thornton, McMullen (J), Evans, Henderson, Dodwell.

Subs:- Bell, Housden, Wrightson.