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League Campaign ends with relegation avoided

League Campaign ends with relegation avoided

Peter Upton16 Apr 2014 - 07:29
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London Division II South East Maidstone - 38pts - Warlingham 16pts


For their last league game of a difficult season Warlingham travelled to second placed Maidstone
reasonably safe in the knowledge that they had already avoided relegation and remain the highest placed local
rugby club. Full back Joe McEvoy opened the scoring with a well struck penalty early in the game which
settled the visitors' nerves but the well drilled Maidstone pack remained an ever-present threat and Maidstone
took the lead with a converted try and two penalties.

Warlingham's Yassine Boufaied, playing his last game for the club before returning to Belgium, made several inroads
into Maidstone territory and when back rower Tom Street broke away with the ball he passed to winger Jon Osborne
who, in due time fed to his opposite wing Sandy Kenny who scored a classic try. McEvoy added the conversion and
with a brace of penalties Warlingham, surprisingly, were in the lead at half time.

Playing with the elements in the second half, Maidstone's efficient pack came into it's own and, with Warlingham
struggling with the loss of captain Zack King with a hamstring injury, they had to defend for long periods of time.
Despite McEvoy regularly clearing lines Maidstone ran in a further three tries and ran out comfortable winners to
secure second spot in the league and go into a play off with Gosport & Fareham in the South West League for a
place in London Division One.

With the league completed Warlingham now turn their attention to the Seven-A-Side campaign, one of which is their
own prestigious "Sevens Heaven" Tournament on Saturday 3rd May when, among the sixteen teams entered, is the
Iceland National side and last year's winners, Dorking Cocks.

Further reading