NATIONAL THREE LONDON & SE


Tring................................................25
Westcliff...........................................41

 

WESTCLIFF moved off the bottom of the National Three London & SE table after securing their first win of the season at Tring on Saturday.

Westcliff triumphed 41-25 in their sixth game of the new campaign.

And first team manager Rick Compton was delighted to finally come out on top.

“This was a great performance by the team with all the 18 man squad contributing and securing our vital first win back in the national leagues,” said Compton.

“It’s a real boost to our confidence and morale and provides a great platform from which to approach the next series of games.

“The way we refused to buckle under the early onslaught and came back to establish parity and then superiority against a side with several years’ experience at this level was really satisfying indeed.”

A Westcliff win looked unlikely early on as Tring started strongly and bagged two tries, one of which was converted, to put them 12-0 in front.

It was clear that Westcliff had to respond and to their credit they did just that slowly establishing a foothold in the game demonstrating determination and commitment and a refusal to capitulate.

As they began to enjoy more possession and territory they were able to ask questions of their own of the home defence which resulted in Jack Jones kicking a penalty.

Tring hit back with a penalty of their own before Westcliff immediately forced their way to the opposition line and prop Ewan Binneman was on hand to touch down.

Jones added the conversion to cut Tring’s lead to 15-10 before the home-side extended their lead with another penalty.

However, Westcliff soon replied with centre Isaiah Mamea ghosted through to score and Jones’ conversion cut Tring’s lead to just a single point.

But the home-side responded with a try of their own to put them 25-17 ahead at half-time.

Westcliff hit back after the break and, with 47 minutes on the clock, influential number eight Sam Reynolds, crossed the line at the back of a driving maul.

Westcliff now had the momentum and replacement winger Tom Argintieri scored two quick fire tries in a devastating five minute spell which established a 34-25 lead for the visitors.

As the game played itself out, Tring’s increasingly frantic attempts resulted in an errant pass that Greg Bannister gleefully intercepted to run in under the posts to give Westcliff an unassailable 41-25 lead and their first win of the season.

Westcliff: Dudman, Bannister, O’Brien, Manea, Merrick, J Jones, B Jones, Whiting, Hopkins, Binneman, Dartnell, Mhlaba, Anderson-Brown, Meakin, Reynolds Replacements: Skidmore, Barnett & Argentiei