Woe at Warlingham!

Warlingham gave out Christmas presents early on Saturday when they gifted the visiting Winchester club five tries to none. It is said that winning and losing is a habit and after four good wins on the trot Warlingham have now lost three games in succession seemingly proving the point.
When lock Matt Prince was yellow-carded in the third minute Winchester took full advantage of the extra man and from a five metre line out they drove over the line for try number one. The conversion attempt was carried wide by the chilling wind but Warlingham's full back Joe McEvoy slotted a penalty to settle the home side.
Winchester's confidence grew when they spurned an easy penalty kick for a scrum but the terrier-like Warlingham scrum half Alban Edwards spoiled the visitor's endeavours with some effective tackling, ably assisted by hooker Henry Payne and the ubiquitous flanker John Dowling. The constant pressure gave Winchester a penalty which they kicked and when they recycled right and left, Warlingham ran out of defenders and the left wing scored try two. Try three followed in a very similar manner and Warlingham's only score came from a second McEvoy penalty.
With the wind in their favour in the second half Warlingham should have imposed themselves on the game but Winchester's defence held solid. Metre-gobbling runs from a fit-again No 8 Ollie Dodwell and centre David Priest gave the home side some heart but a fourth try for Winchester from a five metre line out was followed by a fortunate fumbled pass in midfield to give the Winchester centre a free fun in for the fifth try. McEvoy kicked a third penalty but Winchester took the five league points back to Hampshire and Warlingham stay at eighth position in this very competitive league.
Next Saturday Warlingham travel to top-of-the-league Cobham which will undoubtedly be a difficult afternoon.
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(I am away over Christmas but hopefully a match report will still be penned by another scribe - so Merry Christmas!!)
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