Report courtesy of Stuart Montgomery

Tunbridge Wells welcomed Wimbledon to St Marks on a great day for rugby, slightly soft underfoot but warm, bright and just a little breeze running down the pitch.

Wimbledon arrived with a 3 from 3 record and TW had their first win last week at Horsham, starting this game playing up the slight slope into the wind.TW started very well with a strong scrummage, forcing a penalty, a line out, retention of possession but Wimbledon just won the race to touch down over their line. The drop out was taken back into the left corner and a quick recycle saw the ball through 5 or 6 pairs of hands for a try by Mike Doherty in the right corner, 15 metres from touch – Joe McEvoy adding the con for 7-0.

The restart was kicked straight out and another good TW scrum forced another pen which was kicked to the 22. Whale caught at the back of the lineout, Wimbledon took it down and were penalised. The line out just 5 metres out was untidy but retained and after 5 phases Josh Curtis went over and Joe again added the con for 14-0.

TW certainly had the better of the first 15 minutes but Wimbledon are not a side to just lie down. The intensity and tempo of the game was increased and the next 15 minutes were a rearguard action for TW and the defence held out well until an overlap was worked and Wimbledon went over with the conversion added, 14-7, with a couple of the TW players looking to be running off a couple of knocks. Wimbledon retained the pressure but a great turnover within the 22 lead to an interchange of passes through Purnell, Curtis and Mike Doherty saw the breakdown near the Wimbledon 22. Wimbledon steadied the scrum, retrieved the box kick and were soon deep in the TW 22, a good steal by Hobbs and kick to touch only delayed the next wave. Wimbledon lineout and strong running in the centre lead to another pen to Wimbledon just 7 metres out, with Sousa receiving a Yellow Card. A tap penalty and some direct running gave a try from the Wimbledon 7 just outside the right post, duly converted to 14-14 and the HT whistle.

Wimbledon started the 2nd half and TW fielded but kicked straight out and gave the lineout on the 22, bad mistake. Good Wimbledon lineout strong running in the centres again and multiple phases could, and should, have lead to a try with overlaps not being seen and exploited. Purnell made a good steal around the 22 but a poor clearance kick just gave Wimbledon another attacking opportunity, scrum in 22 and a quick 8 pickup due to pressure from the TW scrum lead to a try out on the right hand side – conversion missed 14-19. TW came back into the game once restored to 15 players, a great lineout and drive 20 metres, Goodger made a cutting break but got isolated at the breakdown and Wimbledon received the pen deep in their 22. A poor lineout lead to a TW scrum which was solid and the game shifted back into the Wimbledon 22. Another penalty to TW was tapped and well worked by a long Ethan Thompson pass to Mike Doherty to go over for a try, con by Joe again good – 21-19. The next 15 minutes saw no further score although plenty of good ball movement and Wimbledon should have scored out wide but the TW defence held strong. From a missed Wimbledon lineout c35 metres out TW forced a penalty on the 10 metre line and Joe again struck a good kick to increase the lead to 24-19 with c10 minutes to go. A Wimbledon penalty for earlier engagement in the scrum was tapped and kept alive and another try levelled the scores but again the con was missed. Back into the Wimbledon half from the kick off saw a knock on trying to play expansive rugby by Wimbledon, a great scrum from TW in the 22 and another penalty which Joe converted, 27-24, just 6 minutes to go. A shocking field of the restart led to Wimbledon retaining the ball, going through a couple of phases and the winger going over in the corner for surely the match winning try – 27-29.

Never say die and TW pressure was enough to force a scrum in the Wimbledon 22. Rock solid and then starting to move forward forced the penalty just 10 metres out. Joe made no mistake, 30-29 followed by the final whistle.

A very good game of rugby and both sides can take positives and negatives away from this, it’s a tough league and I am sure we will see many exciting games, not least the next 2 fixtures against London Welsh and Camberley.