Sidcup 22 - Wimbledon 23

This was an away victory to be savoured as Sidcup had won each of the fixtures last season. The success owed as much to fitness and desire as it did to skill and organisation. Wimbledon were on the front foot from the start when the Sidcup front row slipped their binding in the scrum and gave Wimbledon’s captain Neil Hallett a kick at goal from 30m out, his kick hit the post in the only blemish on an otherwise perfect kicking display. The incident soon passed as Sidcup’s fullback strayed offside and gave Hallett another chance, there was no mistake and Wimbledon took the lead after 8 minutes. Sidcup were starting to gain some scrum pressure and a penalty followed by a kick to the corner from their outside half Simon Vincent, the lineout was driven and second row Donal Nevin scored near the corner after 15 minutes, Vincent converted.

Just a few minutes later Ben Sykes at outside centre seized on a Sidcup handling error and burst through for 30metres, the cover defence made the tackle on him but an offload to left wing Jonny Rawlinson saw him score near the corner. Hallett with a stiff wind behind him curled the ball in for the conversion and Wimbledon were ahead 10 – 7. Sidcup struck back with their second try following a rare poor Wimbledon lineout through their no.8 Steve Evans, Vincent was unable to convert into the wind. Wimbledon on 31 minutes scored through wing Peter Scott grabbing another Sidcup error to score, Hallett’s conversion took Wimbledon to 17 – 12 but with a strong wind to face in the second half and Sidcup slightly better in the scrums it could be an insufficient lead to defend.

Wimbledon started the second half well with a lecture for Sidcup’s flanker giving a penalty chance to Hallett in front of the posts, Wimbledon extended their lead to 20 – 12. Less good was a penalty against Wimbledon for side entry to a maul, the kick from Vincent was to the corner and the resulting lineout saw Sidcup’s centre score, Vincent converted and with a score of 20 – 19 against them Sidcup sniffed a victory. But a change to the Wimbledon pack with Bruce Skolde replacing Eoin Mullen at hooker added more weight to the front row. Jack Fishwick and Rob Tait continued to provide good lineout ball and disrupt the Sidcup throws. With this possession Wimbledon were able to defend away from their line. This was true when a burst by Rob Tait and Rich Stewart took play to the Sidcup 22 but going off their feet at the ruck gave Vincent a kick with the wind back to the Wimbledon 22 and Sidcup took the kick to give a 22 – 20 lead.

In a nail biting period of injury time Wimbledon were able to take the restart forward to 5m from Sidcup’s line, but their defence was good and after a turnover they were able to take the ball away but a scrum penalty was again conceded and with over 6 minutes of injury time played Hallett had a kick 45 metres out and into the wind. With precision the ball was put between the posts and the final whistle went, Wimbledon 23 - Sidcup 22.

A match with all the elements and no yellow cards for either side was a superb exhibition of rugby.

Next Saturday Wimbledon will play at home to Staines with a 2.15pm start.