Big Derby Day Victory for League Topping Dons
Rugby Result: Region 1 South Central - Wimbledon 41-10 Sutton & Epsom
Picture: Wimbledon RFC/Facebook
Sutton & Epsom looked a far better side for much of the match than their lowly league position suggests. But Wimbledon looked like the league leaders they are and notched up a comfortable 41-10 win over their old rivals, and had the last pass not so often gone astray their winning margin would have been a lot greater. Wimbledon’s set scrum just had the edge until the last quarter when they dominated, whoever’s put-in it was. Hooker Harry Scoble’s throw-ins to jumpers Jack Cooke and Max Freeman (who had a great all-round game) plus lock Chris Dalley and the support of the lifters ensured 100% of their own ball and a fair few of the opposition’s.
The visitors had good opening five minutes with a series of drives well defended by Dons on their own line. But the tide soon turned and the Wimbledon forwards drove over for Freeman to touch down. A silly penalty then gave the visitor’s centre Freddy Bunting an easy three points and it was 5-3.
Despite territorial advantage it took another ten minutes before Dons’ scrum half Alex Kerr neatly evaded a tackle 5m out and score in the corner after his blind side break and great support from wing Brad Pinkham. Fly half Ed Morgan’s conversion from the touchline put his side 12-3 ahead. He added two more points nearing the half hour after right wing Ollie Kitto piled into a powerful driving maul 15m out from SE’s line and secured the ball to score, making it 19-3. Strong SE defence prevented further scores before half time, but five minutes after the restart Kitto appeared on the left wing to score his second after quick ball from the pack went swiftly down the line. The 24-3 scoreline soon became 29-3 when prop Malek Touilzak finished off a move he’d started with a break on halfway.
Entering the last quarter, a series of penalties for SE took the visitors deep into Dons 22 from which they scored a deserved converted try to make it 29-10. But the last 15 minutes belonged to Wimbledon; a great turnover by the pack on their own 10m line led to a classy break by replacement scrum-half Rhys Morgan taking play into SE’s 22, and from the breakdown Kitto raced over for his hatrick, Morgan’s conversion taking the lead to 39-10. With minutes remaining he added a further five points when he dummied through the defence to score following some nice back play from good ruck ball.
It was another very satisfactory performance from a highly watchable Wimbledon team – one that keeps them a point clear at the top of the league. Next week more of the same will be required, away to Bracknell.
In a club clean sweep the 2nd XV had a good 29-21 win over Chinnor and the 3rd XV a fine 35-7 victory.
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November 7, 2022