Wimbledon Prevail in High Scoring Game
Rugby Result: Region 1 South Central - Oxford Harlequins 33 – Wimbledon 54
Picture: Wimbledon RFC/Facebook
January 16, 2023
Quite a humdinger; a 13 try bonanza of a game which the referee assessor described as the best he has seen this season - albeit perhaps a little too exciting at times for those supporting the claret and blue.
Wimbledon opened the scoring virtually from the kick-off with a lovely Jack Reville try in under two minutes, converted; 0 - 7.
This was followed by about eight minutes of 50/50 play in the middle of the park before Oxford Quins won the first of their scrum penalties, kicked for the corner and won the lineout. One of their front five then broke from the maul and scored near the middle, also converted; it was 7 - 7 after 10 minutes.
The game then again swung both ways for another 10 minutes with flashes of brilliance from Wimbledon before a kicking away of possession led to another OQ try in the corner that was again converted. It was 14 - 7 to Oxford after 20 minutes.
Almost immediately, after a strong Wimbledon build up, Brad Pinkham scored another converted try - and it was 14 all.
After 25 minutes and a great run by Ollie Kitto, Mark Scott scored and Wimbledon were back in front after the conversion, 14 - 21.
On 28 minutes the OQs were again close to scoring after another scrum penalty and line out. This time Wimbledon defended well and were soon back in the OQs half.
Wimbledon were again building up the pressure when Mark Scott was injured and had to leave the field. This pressure continued and the Dons scored again after 36 minutes when Zane Dallinger scored after a penalty to Dons. It was converted, 14 - 28.
On the stroke of halftime Zane Dallinger scored again after a strong build up and it was 14 - 35 when the players went into the sheds.
A little pressure from OQs at the start of the second half plus a few stoppages - their number eight went off injured - another OQ penalty and line out again defended well. Then a great break by Dallinger a good build up and an offload to Kitto for a try took the score to 14 - 40 to Wimbledon.
More pressure from OQs resulted in nothing and after 52 minutes and a couple of Dons penalties Jake Farnworth scored again for Wimbledon, 14 - 47. All was looking good.
Oxford Quins now began to fight back and after a couple of penalties and a line out on the five metres they were awarded a penalty try from a scrum, 21-47.
Five minutes later and after more pressure OQ scored again out wide, 26 - 47.
For another five minutes OQ were on the rampage, Wimbledon got a yellow card, and Oxford Quins scored again, 33 - 47. Everythiing in the garden was not rosy.
At last the Dons got their mojo back. For the last ten minutes Wimbledon were good again and after a massive scrum drive by themselves Matt Grobler scored near the posts without the need of the awarded penalty and Wimbledon finished on a high, 33 - 54.
Andy Hodgson
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