Flying fullback Harley Homewood’s dramatic last play try earned Warlingham 3s a deserved draw giving them some reward for their recent improved performances.

It was league high flyers Paulines who piled on the pressure in the opening exchanges. With the lion’s share of possession in the opening quarter, the visitor’s impressive and expansive play threatened regularly but Warlingham’s scrambling defence held firm. With a fearsome back row of Cox, Walker and Jamie Webzell scrapping for turnovers, rucking aggressively and carrying strongly, the blue and whites started to gain momentum. The home side’s front 5 began to take the sting out of the OPs, battering them in the scrums, gaining clean ball from the line out and laying a platform for half backs Sampson and Jackson to flourish. Jack Thomas was again the star man, this time at hooker, alongside the improving Myles Bloomfield and reluctant loosehead Halliwell.

The opening try came from strong work from the locks. Ben Freeman sat down two huge forwards with a his great fend before off-loading to young Bob Read to continue the move. Warlingham pressed hard and the prolific Andy Cox was able to burrow over. Beake added the extras.
Although Paulines hit back almost immediately, Warlingham were now on top. Experienced centre Beake added control and direction with his running while fellow centre Dellaway and wingers Charles and Joao provided the cutting edge. Homewood at fullback was a constant thorn in the side of the visitors, dashing and weaving his way past despairing defenders at will. With the referee about to blow for half time, young fly half Jackson copied his senior team mate and danced back against the grain, beating virtually the whole opposition before waltzing around the fullback and plunging over the line. An incredible try which Beake converted for a 14-5 lead at the break.

Old Paulines began with a bang in the second half, scoring straight away. Warlingham’s forward domination continued however and starved OPs of ball but failure to clear their lines and play in their opponents half invited more pressure. Not that the 3s were not threatening. Jack Thomas, the Webzell brothers and Walker smashed holes in the OPs defence consistently and Charles nearly scored from deep after a Homewood pass. But too much time spent in their own half eventually told and Paulines went over again following a turnover and some quick hands down the line.

Unlike in recent weeks, Warlingham were not to be beaten. Gary Coxe came on to add some fresh legs to the pack and the blue and whites dominated the closing moments. Freeman kept running through, Sampson directed operations and Shane Webzell carried over the hard yards. With just 5 points in it and seconds left, OPs kept killing the ball, happy to concede penalties and back their reorganised defence. It looked like it might work until Shane Webzell tapped a penalty under the posts and passed long to Cox who sent Homewood scampering over out wide and spark the celebrations. Given the recent run of results, the relief was palpable. Unfortunately Beake’s conversion narrowly missed but a draw was a fair result and a great day at WRFC was toasted long into the night.