WESTCLIFF’S first team manager Rick Compton was left feeling frustrated by his side’s 21-12 defeat at home to Amersham & Chiltern.

The reverse was Westcliff’s fourth in a row since being promoted back in to National Three London & SE.

And Compton felt a lack of discipline was ultimately to blame for the latest setback.

“Our performance was much better than that at Hertford and it’s terribly frustrating to gain nothing from the game having led it twice,” said Compton.

“It was a very close game which either side could have won but the margins between victory and defeat at this level are fine.

“In this game the cheap six points we offered up in the first 10 minutes and the yellow card we carried for the last 10 cost us dear.

“We have to look at that area of our game –discipline- to give ourselves the best opportunity to win.”

Initially Westcliff appeared to have started where they left off the previous week and the visitors appeared to have a little more energy and zip which allowed them to dominate territory and possession in the opening minutes.

On the back foot Westcliff defended with endeavour and commitment but by inviting pressure they succumbed to poor discipline and handed the visitors six unnecessary points from routine under the sticks penalties in the opening 10 minutes.

Trailing 6-0 the hosts began to up the level of their game and two evenly matched sides threw themselves at each other with territory, possession and opportunity switching from one to the other.

After 22 minutes Westcliff scored the game’s opening try when a deliberately placed kick was collected at pace by winger Ross Merrick on the opposition 22.

Still with plenty to do he finished off clinically avoiding flailing tackles and speeding in under the posts.

Jack Jones secured the extra two points and Westcliff hit the front for the first time at 7-6.

A penalty from the visitors put them back in front but, at the start of the second half, Greg Bannister continued his fine start to the season, with another try in the corner to make it 12-9 with half an hour to go.

From the restart, Westcliff failed to exit their half and Amersham began to apply the pressure.

That soon resulted in them executing a catch and drive and forcing their way over to retake the lead at 14-12.

Westcliff’s hopes of a comeback were hit four minutes from time when hooker Jack Hopkins was sent to the sin bin for an adjudged infringement at the breakdown and they were forced to play out the game a man short.

However, Westcliff continued to throw themselves forward and the closest they came to scoring was a fingertip interception opportunity for flying winger Bannister which went agonisingly to ground.

But, with the extra man Amersham were able to grind their way to the home line and force their way over in the seventh minute of injury time.

The conversion, which was the game’s last play, also denied Westcliff the consolation of a losing bonus point.

Westcliff: J Jones, Merrick, Reynolds, Parmenter, Bannister, Ansell, B Jones, Skidmore, Hopkins, Binneman, Barnett, Dartnell, Webster, Marsh, Meakin Replacements: Dellas, Anderson-Brown & Dudman