Old Reigatian RFC produced an impressive second-half display to secure a 41-17 victory over Reeds Weybridge at Park Lane on Saturday, overcoming torrential rain and strong winds to claim a seven-try win in Counties 1 Surrey/Sussex. Having built a 17-5 half-time lead while playing into the wind, ORs made the most of the conditions after the break, adding four further tries to put the result beyond doubt before Reeds crossed twice late on.
The conditions made for a challenging afternoon, but ORs adapted well from the outset. Despite playing into a strong wind, they made good early ground into the Reeds half, with Sam Lenihan running an excellent line to cross for the opening try after just two minutes. Henry Hamps converted to give the hosts an early 7-0 lead.
Reeds responded almost immediately. The wind carried the restart long, and with the referee ruling that it had been touched by an ORs player, the visitors were awarded a scrum five metres from the line. Reeds made the most of the opportunity, scoring from the set piece to reduce the deficit to 7-5.
ORs continued to apply pressure, with the forward pack beginning to make its presence felt. Val Garrec was prominent with a series of powerful carries, including a pirouette that may soon become his trademark, before crossing for the second try. The score also took the prop to the top of the club’s try-scoring charts for the season.
The front row continued to cause problems at scrum time, with Garrec, Ethan Monk and Nestor putting Reeds under sustained pressure at scrum time. Monk was rewarded for that hard work when he crossed for ORs’ third try of the half, extending the lead to 17-5. Despite the difficult conditions and playing against the wind, the hosts had established a healthy advantage at the interval.
With the wind at their backs after the break, ORs quickly turned the screw. Reeds found themselves pinned in their own half for long periods as the hosts made better use of the conditions, applying territorial pressure and forcing the visitors to defend.
Dan Grant crossed for the first try of the second half to stretch the lead to 22-5, and the pressure continued to build. The forwards had dominated the first-half scoresheet, much to the apparent frustration of the backs, but Jack Brennan soon put that right. A well-executed set play created the opportunity for the backs to get in on the action, with Brennan finishing to make it 27-5.
Lenihan then produced another moment of quality to cap an outstanding performance. He crossed for his second try of the afternoon, finishing under the posts to take his personal tally to two. Jack Nicol added the conversion to extend the advantage to 34-5.
There was still time for Jonny Bridges to mark his return from injury with a try. Having been waiting for his opportunity on the wing, Bridges chased one of Ben Holder’s excellent kicks, which had repeatedly caused Reeds problems in the conditions. The ball bounced kindly for Bridges, who took his chance to complete ORs’ seventh try. Henry Hamps added the conversion to make it 41-5.
To their credit, Reeds continued to compete and showed good resilience in the closing stages, crossing for two late tries to bring the final score to 41-17. The first was almost denied by a superb piece of defensive work from Hamps, whose determination and work rate saw him chase back to prevent what looked certain to be a try. Despite his excellent effort, Reeds eventually found a way over the line, and the visitors added a second late score to round off the afternoon.
There were strong individual performances throughout the side. Nestor was influential in the front row before departing in the 77th minute with a nasty cut to his forehead, while Kristian Sadler made a significant contribution at number eight. Captain Tom Allen was also at his line-breaking best, repeatedly bringing an attacking threat from the midfield. Lenihan’s two tries and all-round display were another highlight of a performance built on the work of the pack and the pressure applied across the pitch.
The result builds on last weekend’s narrow 21-20 win away at London Cornish and gives the 1st XV further momentum as the season progresses. With competition for places growing across the senior squad, the performance was another encouraging sign of the depth developing at Park Lane.
The afternoon also marked a significant milestone for Beef, making his 100th 1st XV appearance. A committed clubman and formidable presence in the pack, he marked the occasion with a strong contribution to the forward’s performance that laid the platform for the win.
A big thank you to all the supporters who turned out in such horrendous conditions to cheer on the boys. The support was greatly appreciated.
Starting XV
- Val Garrec
- Ciaran Nestor
- Ethan Monk
- Dan Grant
- Ollie Burton
- George Murray
- Sam Lenihan
- Kristian Sadler
- Jack Nicol
- Conor Woods
- Harrison Mitchell
- Jack Brennan
- Tom Allen (C)
- Jonny Bridges
- Henry Hamps
Replacements
- Harry Plowman
- Joe Gregson
- Ben Holder
