Feb 5

Written by: Richard Drage
05/02/2009 12:51

Given the extra-time loss that Merton had inflicted a fortnight earlier, Reigate's 1st XV travelled to Merton in the search for some much-needed league points and revenge for the narrow cup defeat at the hands of their Surrey 3 rivals.

Missing Adam "Hightower" Betteley from the starting line-up due to injury and with flying winger James "Dan" Dampier unable to travel due to a groin complaint, Reigate won the toss and elected to endure self-imposed hardships, playing against the elements in the first-half at the home team's wind-exposed ground.

The game started poorly for Reigate with the opposition scrum-half breaking through some poor fringe defence to scamper to the posts unopposed from the edge of the Reigate 22 in the first couple of minutes. The conversion was slotted without any problem from the Merton full-back and left Reigate facing an early 7 point deficit as well as the strong gale and steep slope.

The Reigate pack refused to let their heads fall however and the improved focus on defensive alignment and a back-to-basics approach from the back-line saw the vistors gain parity in the early exchanges. Some probing positional kicking and good recycling of possession saw Reigate win fast ruck-ball 10 yards from the Merton line and with few options out wide, David "it's pronounced Jum-ison" Jamieson, Reigate's mobile front-rower, took his opportunity to pick and go. Brushing would-be-tacklers aside and with a trade-mark pirouette, he danced his way to the try line in a manner that Reigate's own ballerina suprema, Margot Fonteyn, would have been proud of.

With the scores level at 7-7, the match was evenly poised, despite the match being briefly lit up by the Maori-sidestep demonstrated by Reigate scrum-half, Rick Drage, on the unsuspecting Merton full-back. Nevertheless, with the wind and slope behind them, the pressure exerted by the Merton pack forced Reigate into conceding two penalties which the Merton no. 15 composed himself to convert, leaving the score at 13-7 at half-time.

The second-half was characterised by Reigate's shrewd use of the elements (as well as an unexpected appearance at flanker from "stocky" centre, Mat Sanford). Any Merton pressure was quickly absorbed and replied to with thumping 50 yard nudges from the boot of Reigate's fly-half, Fraser MacDonald, ensuring that most of the rugby was played in Merton's half. The territorial advantage began to pay and Reigate were eventually rewarded when a flowing move saw winger, Alex "the SkyDiver" Goodhew free on the right in the Merton 22. As he neared the line the cover defense closed ranks leaving him surrounded much like his beloved yet land-locked Grand-Duchy. Nevertheless, undaunted by the encircling defenders, a deft side-step wrong-footed the tacklers and gave him just enough space to drive to the line and score the try, taking a blow to the face as he did so.

Despite missing the conversion of Goodhew's 5-pointer, two penalties from the sure-booted MacDonald further aided the vistors' cause, despite the away support's fear that try-scoring fever had gripped prop Jamieson as he prepared to take one of the penalties quickly. This proved to be merely a ruse as the canny Scot kept hold of the ball and passed to his young fly-half to convert. A try from centre, Will Griffiths, extended the Reigate lead to 23-13, a score that looked likely to be the final score until the last play of the game saw the Merton number 8 catch the Reigate defence napping with a quick tap penalty. The conversion was missed by the home-team kicker but the result was by now beyond doubt and as the whistle went, the away team were rewarded with 2 precious league points.

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