SLOW START BUT WIMBLEDON FINISH STRONG THANKS TO STORM SCOTTY

London & SE Premier League. 2.10.21

CS Stags 19 – 59 Wimbledon

Another try-bonus point win for Wimbledon – their fourth in five games – to keep them at the top of the table although Dorking, two points behind, have a game in hand.

Playing into the gale and driving rain Wimbledon managed to concede a converted try after just 22 seconds! And as if the awful conditions and early score weren’t bad enough they lost their Skipper, tight head Josh Bayford, to injury just eight minutes in, Bradley Ugodulunwa taking his place in a re-shuffled front row.

No.8 Mark Scott soon got a try back for Wimbledon but then the weather and some uncharacteristic sloppy play let the Stags in for two more tries, one converted, and they found themselves surprisingly down 19-5 at half time.

But with the worsening weather behind them normal service was soon resumed and with the Dons’ forwards now totally in control the floodgates opened and Wimbledon notched up eight further tries, seven of them converted by fly-half Steve Boatman (the eighth hitting the posts). Even the respite afforded to Stags when injury to their prop resulted in uncontested scrums didn’t stop Dons’ rampant pack, the amount of possession won by them allowing the team to romp home to a 19-59 win, the tries coming, in no particular order, from Scotty, two (bringing up his hat-trick), Bradley two, hooker Tyler Reichhardt one, centre Henry Peuble two (one after a 60m run), and wing Josh Charles one.

The 1st XV have a week off next weekend and the following week have a home fixture against Havant.

At Dons’ home ground on Saturday the 3rd’s had their first run out this season and had an excellent 67-5 victory over Mayfair Occasionals, a side from Barnes RFC.