Early exchanges were competitive with the visitors scoring an early try from what looked like a knock on but 0-7 was the score. Reigatian’s came straight back at them with Max Coyle making it 5-7. However two more well worked tried one an impressive backs move and the other a driving maul showed OA’s strengths across their team moved them to 5-19 however the home team were in the fight and moved back into OA’s half and returning Wing Harrison Mitchell cut back inside to make the score 12-19 as Half Time approached. Just before half time Raz Patel was shown a yellow card and Reigatian’s were down to 14 men.
Alleynians took full advantage of their superior numbers and scored on the stroke of half time then in the first ten minutes of the second half managed to run in another five tries. The Home team clearly shocked that the score had increased to 12-50.
With Patel back on the field and the Home side with a full compliment of 15 players they were the next team to cross the line. Raz Patel scoring to put the Home side within one try of a try scoring bonus point. Finlay Lock add the bonus point and Dan Grant scored the home sides final try unfortunately OA’s kept they try scoring ticking over and with the final score 27-72 Reigatian have a lot of work to do before the next face for the third game on the bounce Medway who are one place below OR’s in fourth as Reigatian’s now sit third in the league.
Obviously a defeat like this is always hard to take and the whole will have to pick themselves up for the remaining 4 leagues and Cup fixtures. This should take nothing away from Old Alleynians who were very impressive and the best team to have played at Park Lane this season by some margin. They play Battersea Ironsides next time out which will be 1st v 2nd and the result will be interesting. Can they catch Battersea remains to be seen as Battersea will need to drop points elsewhere. For Reigatian we have two weeks training to get in good shape for the journey to Kent to play Medway.
On a brighter note the Old Reigatian A XV travelled to Chobham despite the M25 A3 junction causing some players to arrive late they put in a great performance to Win 33-34 this game saw the return of 1st XV regular Dan Jones and an overall good team performance.
