OLD REIGATIANS showed fighting spirit to earn a late draw at Chobham on Saturday, setting themselves up for a Christmas cracker at home to the league leaders this week.
With Sutton & Epsom due to visit Park Lane on Saturday, ORs knew they needed a result at fourth-placed Chobham to keep them within their sights at the top of London Two South West.
But it looked like they wouldn't get it with ORs seven points behind with five minutes to play and one man in the sin bin.
However, a late try from Jack Wheeler, which was then converted by Nick Grant, saw ORs claim a draw to stay within reach of the top ahead of this week's showdown.
And captain Mark Chesterton said it was a big boost to get something from the game.
"I think with five minutes to go we were almost resigned to losing," he said.
"But we are pretty pleased to come away with a draw in the end.
"The boys showed great character and we just thought that with a man down, we needed to give it a go and it paid off."
Chobham were quicker out of the blocks on Saturday, but their fly-half missed an early opportunity following an ORs infringement.
He missed a second opportunity a few minutes later, with the hosts failing to punish ORs for a slow start.
However, Chobham were winning the battle of the breakdown and the hosts eventually took the lead from a third penalty.
ORs did eventually get themselves into the game though and Nick Grant levelled the scores from in front of the posts.
The scores remained level at the break, but Grant slotted over a penalty early on to give ORs the lead, before a bizarre decision by the Chobham kicker saw him turn down a penalty in front of the posts, instead opting for a quick tap which was then turned over by ORs' James Campbell.
Chobham levelled with their next visit to the ORs half though, before Grant restored the ORs lead with his third penalty of the afternoon.
ORs pressed forward looking for a try, but were stunned on the break as Chobham intercepted an Ed Hubbard pass and ran in a try under the posts.
The Chobham kicker then extended the lead to seven points with another penalty, making it 16-9 with less than ten minutes to go.
And when Tyrone Long was sin binned for dissent, the game looked up for ORs.
However, with time running out, a flowing ORs move saw the ball spread to Wheeler, who outpaced the defence to score in the corner, with Grant converting to level things up and salvage a draw.
Chesterton said the result made this week's clash a "must-win" game, but said that with four teams at home this week, it was all set to be a big occasion at Park Lane.
Reigatians: Malanka, Wheeler, G Campbell, Long, Bramley, Lea, J Campbell, Chesterton, O'Hanlon, N Grant, Mushava, Furness, Travers, C Grant, Hubbard. Subs: Broster, Podbury, Forsyth