Chichester 16 - 21 Wimbledon

Wimbledon had to have an off-day some time this season, and that day was last
Saturday against Chichester, 12 places below them in the league. While Wimbledon
lacked their normal cohesion and finishing ability, Chichester put in by far their best
performance to date; in fact, with their wealth of possession in the second half they
might easily have pulled off a surprise win.

There was a scrappy start to the match, with endless stoppages as the lady referee
quickly established her authority, although Wimbledon in particular had difficulty
throughout staying on the right side of her rulings around rucks and mauls. But after
12 minutes the team clicked, with thrower-in Jesse Muir and jumper Gary Crowe
combining to win good lineout ball deep in the home 22 and after a dozen or so pick
and drives no.8 Dylan Thomas dived over for a try, easily converted by Bryan Croke.

Ten minutes on, from good ruck ball Dons’ backs at last produced the sort of fluent
rugby that has brought so many tries, with fullback Dave Bennett finishing the move
by jinking past the defence. Croke again converted. But with too many Dons’ errors
handing over possession to Chichester, it was they who got the next points through
two converted penalties by centre Taff Davies.

A determined Wimbledon came out for the second half and piled pressure on the
Chichester line, but with the final pass going astray, they exited with nothing. It took
two more similar periods of concerted pressure before they eventually turned it into
points, when prop Phil Viane barged over for a try, converted by Croke, and at 6-21 it
looked as though the game was beyond Chichester. But the home team thought
differently and, charging down a kick in Dons’ 22, their pack piled over for a try to
which Davies added the extra two points. Minutes later he added three more to bring
his team to within five points of their visitors.

With just over ten minutes plus injury time remaining Chichester threw everything
they had at Wimbledon, who were only saved from an embarrassing defeat by heroic
defence – a task made harder with the somewhat harsh yellow-carding of Muir for the
remaining normal time.

There was an audible sigh of relief when the final whistle sounded and Dons had
retained their second place in the league, but the team will know only too well that
they’ll need to play much better at home next week against Guernsey if they want to
stay second.