Old Reigatian line up featured Ryan Taylor-Travers for the first time this season and having missed the whole of last season, however the back line looked depleted with Tom Allen, Gareth Stephens and Sam Turner either injured or in France at the RWC then also to lose Harrison Mitchell the morning of the game with a torn calf. A quick reorganisation was required with Max Coyle moving to Full Back. Dom Flynn answered the call for reinforcements and returned from Nottingham Uni to help in the Midfield. On a brighter note, they welcomed back last season’s top try scorer Finn Coyle for his first appearance of the season.
Reigatian started well showing great intensity and played with pace and passion the forwards showed great form with Taylor-Travers showing no shows of rustiness.
After five minutes Scrum Half Alex Skinner put a great kick through from a midfield ruck from a line out close to the line from the driving maul Prop forward peeling off from the back of the maul to score. Conor Woods added the conversion to take an early 0-7 lead.
Beckenham were quick to react with only two more minutes played the Reigatian defence became slightly narrow and a perfect cross field kick landed in their speedy Wingers hands for an easy run into the corner with no conversion OR’s still led 5-7.
16 minutes into the game from a penalty midfield the team from Reigate won their lineout and set up another driving maul. Showing good technique and the driving maul was set up and set off towards the Beckenham line once again at the back of the Maul was Lee who put the ball down and claim his second try of the afternoon. Woods converted 5-14.
Beckenham once again came back and with another driving maul saw Beckenham get over for a try to pull the scores close together again with this try being converted the visitors held on the lead 12-14.
Unfortunately, in the 33rd Minute the Beckenham flyhalf put a high kick forward the home sides right winger was under the ball but didn’t make a clean catch and clearly knocked the ball forward he regathered the ball and four Reigatian players stopped expecting a whistle to be blown it wasn’t and the Winger scored under the posts untouched. The Ref apologised after the game if he had missed anything, but it gave the home side the lead for the first time and clearly affected the Reigatian players. The OR’s players must play to the whistle, but it was a costly error that seemed to be a turning point in the fixture.
With the score now 19-14 and the home side energised, half time couldn’t come soon enough. However, the home team had one more attack from a lineout the home side forwards pick and drove for the try line. Beckenham’s big ball carrying Prop was standing out in the midfield waiting for his opportunity, he didn’t have to wait too long and when he got the ball it took three or four players attempts to stop him, but this purely pushed him closer to the posts to add another seven points before Half Time. Half Time score 26-14.
The second half proved to be frustrating with Reigatian wasting another clear try scoring opportunity when some good work from the forwards came to nothing, but it would be unfair to suggest that Beckenham also had chances that were not taken and it took until the 24th minute before the Reigate team got themselves into an attacking position. OR’s won a line out which Dan Grant once again claimed the driving maul was set up and as thy inched towards the try line that man Ciaran Lee broke from the base to claim his Hat Trick for the afternoon. Lee in his first season at Old Reigatian since joining from Cobham. He has made a massive impact and it was a very popular score amongst the squad. Once again Woods added the conversion. 26-19 one score game again.
The sign of a good team bounce straight back and withing three minutes the Backenham had broken the first line of defence with some poor tackling then when tackled a great offload for the No22 to run in the try and stretch their lead to 33-19 in this rollercoaster game.
With time running out Reigatian pushed again to at least claim a losing bonus point and one more try for a try scoring bonus point. In the last ten minutes of normal time, Club Stalwart Harry Smith joined the fray on the left wing. Play moved close to the Beckenham try line and Alex Skinner switched play back down the blind side where Harry Smith found enough space to get over the try and push OR’s once again to within that one score.
Once again Beckenham replied in injury time with a lineout on the 22 this was thrown too long and Beckenham flyhalf was the first to the ball he manged to offload for his team mate to run in under the posts. Full Time 40-26
Old Reigatian came away with a Try scoring bonus point but that is three defeats on the trot with Cobham at Home next Saturday a big performance is needed to make sure they stay in touch with the leaders.
1.Ciaran Lee 2. Ciaran Nestor 3. Reilly Franklin Talbot © 4. Seb Courtney Walker 5. Dan Grant 6. Oli Brooks 7. Finlay Lock 8. Ryan Taylor Travers 9. Alex Skinner 10. Conor Woods 11. Finn Coyle 12. Lucas Overtoom 13. Dom Flynn 14. Aran Courtney Walker 15. Max Coyle
16. Ethan Monk 17. Harry Plowman 18. Harry Smith
