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Warlingham 12 Sevenoaks 22
Sevenoaks have recruited vigorously over the summer by importing several New Zealand players to bolster their league campaign, but despite these new players is was not until the final quarter of the game that they wrestled the lead from the home side and ran out winners by four tries to two.
Warlingham pre-season training, under head coach Ben Stobart and ably assisted by Paddy Dennien, had shown a new intensity and the hard work during the summer showed benefits as Warlingham took the game to the visitors and several phases of play saw the ball shipped out to speedy winger Jack Atkinson who out-paced his opposite number for the first try converted by full back Joe McEvoy.
Sevenoaks struck back with an unconverted try but tenacious tackling from flanker John Dowling and lock Luke Delderfield kept Sevenoaks at bay.
Stand-in captain Zack King was his usual marauding self driving into the heart of the opposition defence and recycling the ball in clinical fashion.
Warlingham kept the ball for long periods of play and, in broken play, centre Brad Saffery slipped past his man, ricocheted off another and went in for
the second try. Numerous substitutes took the field which somewhat disrupted the pattern of play but fly half Chris Bevan, prop Kieran Scutt and lock Dave Thornton continued to take the game into the face of the Sevenoaks pack with panache. In the final passages of play Sevenoaks deservedly took the lead with two well executed tries to seal the result.
After the game Stobart said: "This was a good workout for us and I was really pleased that we put together some intelligent passages of play and our
work rate was excellent."
On the adjacent pitch Warlingham's 2nd XV, led by new captain Andy Cox, took on a strong London Lithuanian First XV from Essex, containing
some powerful forwards and hard running backs. Again the match was even Stevens until late in the game when Lithuanians took the victory by
32 points to 10.
Next Saturday Warlingham host two local clubs when their First XV play Purley John Fisher and their Second XV play Old Midwhitgiftians, both at
Warlingham's Hamsey Green ground. Warlingham first league game in London Division II South West is on Saturday 13th September when they
host a revitalised Old Reigatians side. The Old Reigatians' clubhouse recently suffered twice at the hands of arsonists but they have conquered the
adversity and continue to play league rugby. Spectators are very welcome to attend all the Warlingham matches free of charge and enjoy the
bar refreshments afterwards.
