Sodden death for OWs as winning run ends
Old Walcountians’ winning run was brought to an end at a wet and muddy Teddington last Saturday.
The Counts went into the match without the services of four of this season’s regular players in centre Ross Norton, prop Remy Claustres and lock Pete Thomas, while No8 T J Akinjobi had to withdraw at short notice due to unavoidable work commitments. However, it was their failure to come to terms with the monsoonlike playing conditions that proved their undoing. The home side was much more acclimatised to conditions that a hippopotamus would been at home in and got the better of both possession and territory in the first half, helped by the Old Boys repeatedly conceding penalties.
Two tries, one of which was converted gave Teddington a twelve point lead at the break.
Walcountians showed much more urgency in the second half, with lock Will Thornton and flankers Rob Fleming and Joe Henderson driving play forward with surging breaks, and half-backs Harry Wrightson and Seb Chmielinski showing excellent control and judgement in launching attacks. Unfortunately, the Counts failed to control the slippery ball and chances went begging. Luck was also against the Old Boys as they were twice held up on the Teddington line.
Six minutes before the end of the match, Walcountians finally made a breakthrough. Fly-half Harry Wrightson opened up the Teddington defence with an incisive break and replacement flanker Heath Bateman was on hand to drive over and touch down for a try. Harry Wrightson’s towering conversion added the points.
Walcountians continued to search for a winning score and could have had one two minutes from the end when Harry Wrightson had a try disallowed.
Walcountians still lead Surrey League 1 by four points. Next Saturday, they hope to get their season back on track when they take on Old Whitgiftians. Kick-off at Clock House, Carshalton Road, Woodmansterne is at 2:30pm.
Old Walcountians:- Bentley, Fletcher-Rogers, Abou-Zeid (D), Wehbe, McMullen, Wrightson, Chmielinski, Evans, Abou-Zeid (A), Ford, Thornton, Lawrence, Bellringer, Fleming, Henderson.
Subs:- Bateman, Stylianou.
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