Leaders given the fright of their lives...

Neither side would have disputed the justice of that result, but as it was Old Georgians managed to maintain their 100% victory record this season with some sound tactical kicking and a counter attack that enabled them to finish strongest.

The Haslemere pitch was muddy but playable on a calm and almost bright day, strongly supported after a club lunch. The Old Georgians showed their skills from the start when they caught their own line out and started a rolling drive towards the Haslemere line, which was defended staunchly by the home team and eventually repelled. Unfortunately after that period of extended pressure flanker Shane Vickery came off injured so replacement Sam Powell was on. Whereas OG had youth throughout the team the scrummages were all Haslemere as the powerful front row of Zorro Hawkes, Ryan Perrott, and Matthieu Clet were backed up with the strength in the second row of Simon Dilsworth and Dave Head. Haslemere won the OG scrum against the head and ran the ball down the narrow channel but somehow the OG players came away with the ball and their big full back smashed his way through the centres before offloading to a supporting man when tackled definitively by winger James Clarke, with the conversation in front of the posts, 0-7.

The next passage of play started from another OG scrum won by Haslemere against the head and went on for 5 minutes of end to end rugby, and unfortunately Haslemere then lost fly half Jonjo Conway to injury and Glyn Hogsden came on into the forwards, with young Elliott Robson dropping into to the inside centre position. The rest of the half followed a similar pattern of Haslemere winning the ball from the scrums and telling runs from No8 Damian Kellerman, Dilsworth and Clet caught the eye, but ultimately OG were stronger at the rucks and they were turning Haslemere ball over after the tackle.

Haslemere dominated the first 20 minutes of the second half and could have put 20 points up on the board but the league leaders had other ideas. Haslemere won an early penalty with OG holding on and the kick to touch brought on a line out that was tipped back by Dave Head, and scrum half Neil Moseley found Dilsworth who crashed up through some loose OG tackles, then captain Blatherwick ran direct before Clet marauded through and took them ever closer to the try line. A quickly recycled ball found onrushing winger James Clarke running a hard inside line at pace and he crashed over to score, with full back Adam Whitehead converting, 7-7. Powell caught the ball from the kick off and Haslemere won a penalty when the OG hands strayed into the ruck and so Haslemere marched down into the other half. At times second row Dilsworth was a giant among boys and he was making great inroads through the OG forwards and beyond in a Man of the Match performance. Quarter of an hour in and a quick tap penalty from Neil Moseley and dummy before passing to centre JP McCumisky saw Haslemere again attacking the OG 22. No8 Kellerman then made another break and Haslemere were camped on the OG 5 metre line with scrum after scrum. Eventually the scrum moved forward again under Haslemere's dominance and no8 Kellerman peeled off to score, but the referee was unsighted around the other side and then awarded the OG a penalty which they tapped quickly turning defence into attack and quicker than a flash they were in the Haslemere 22. The OG now had some ball and territory and nearly scored but they put a foot into touch, but soon after they blasted down the undefended narrow side of a ruck and scored, 7-14. Haslemere were still in the game but they now had to put in more tackles, with Robson and Perrott prominent in their forceful hits, as OG were now getting more ball and putting the pressure on. With 5 minutes to go the OG were awarded a penalty and they effectively secured the victory by kicking a goal, 7-17. Haslemere played a blinding game against the Surrey 4 League leaders, who last week defeated Egham 75-0, taking them right to the wire in a very entertaining match.

Team: Hawkes, Perrott, Clet, Head, Dilsworth, Robson, Vickery, Kellerman, Moseley, Conway, Clarke, Blatherwick (C), McCumisky, Green, Whitehead.
Subs: Hogsden, Sherwood, Powell.

Feel free to come and join the Tuesday training at 7:30 up at Woolmer Hill Sports Ground GU27 1QA, under a full set of flood lights, whatever the weather, with food after. Call John Hatcher on 07709 187514. Haslemere are looking to have two teams playing Reigate next Saturday with a rearranged league fixture.