IT WAS not just in the FA Cup that there were upsets on Saturday as Old Reigatian dumped high league opposition out of the Surrey Trophy.
Old Reigatian beat Sutton & Epsom 23-22 in the quarter-finals of the county competition and head coach Jonny Hylton was delighted.
"We started the trend, all the football clubs in the FA Cup just followed on from us," he said. "It was a side made up of first team players and a few who are knocking on the door of the first team and they did us proud. They turned Sutton & Epsom over on the own patch.
"I've always said that on our day, when we have the belief there, we are capable of beating anyone and this proved it. Sutton & Epsom are flying in their league. It wasn't their first team but maybe it should have been because I'm sure they were looking for a good run in this cup. They took us a bit too lightly."
Old Reigatian are now set to face their League Two South West counterparts KCS Old Boys in the semi-final on March 14, but Hylton is not getting carried away.
"It doesn't really matter that they are in our league," he said. "There isn't a huge amount of teams that enter the competition so facing someone from the same league was always quite likely.
"If we play like we did on Saturday then I see no reason why we can't get into the final, but there are a lot of league games which we have to prioritise before then, including playing KCS."
The first of those league games is a trip to play Old Alleynians on Saturday and Hylton is predicting an entertaining game of flowing rugby.
"Whenever we play Old Alleynians it is always a bit of a ding-dong and normally quite high-scoring," he said. "They play attractive, fluid rugby on their artificial pitch and it's essential that we starve them of possession. If you give them the ball then they will make you pay. That's true of Old Alleynians more than any other team in the league.
"The pitch might take a bit of getting used to but whereas most pitches in January are sodden, it should be a chance for us to play the brand of rugby we enjoy - flowing and attractive."
