Wimbledon RFC Win To Retain League's Top Spot

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Rugby result: Westcliff 5 v Wimbledon 24

London & SE Premier League, 6 October

The first 25 minutes saw both sides pushing back and forth between the 22 metre lines albeit with the Dons scrum beginning to dominate by the end of the first quarter. So it was not until minute 27 that a strong Wimbledon 20 metre rolling maul took them into the Westcliff 22 for the first time and from there they spun it sharply left for Freddy Hooper to score nicely on the left wing. Hooper then converted his try from out wide in miserable conditions to make it 7 - 0 to the Dons.

Five minutes later Hooper increased the lead with a penalty from the ten metre line to make it 10 - 0 and then in minute 38 playing with free ball from a penalty advantage gained by the now very dominant scrum Hooper scored again under the posts for a seven-pointer.  17 - 0 to Wimbledon at half time.

The second half started very well for the Dons with a series of powerful scrums repeatedly ending with a penalty and after three minutes of scrums like this on the five metre line the Dons were awarded a deserved penalty try.  24 - 0 to Wimbledon.

For the next 20 minutes the game went back to give and take - more give than take but with some very strong defence by Wimbledon when needed - before a breakaway by Westcliff caught the Dons napping and embarking on a fine fast mini rolling maul themselves Westcliff scored a try out wide on the right which was not converted.  Westcliff 5 - Wimbledon 24.

A few minutes later, in minute 68, Westcliff attacked again, won another penalty and a yellow card for lock Rob Louw, and it seemed that the game might not be over. However the Dons resilient defence returned to the fore and by the end of the ten minutes Wimbledon were pressing Westcliff back again despite being a man down.

With two minutes to go it was back to fifteen a side, normal service was restored, and Wimbledon leapfrogged Westcliff to regain the top spot in the league. There’s a break in the league before Wimbledon travel away again to take on Chingford on October 20.

October 14, 2018