WEYBRIDGE VANDALS 54 – 31 WINCHESTER
Winchester hoped a crop of new faces would extend their winning run, but eight Vandals tries, six of them for Cameron Edgar, punished a young Winchester side.
Within five minutes, Edgar sprinted down the left wing to score. He soon added a second, each time brushing past a tepid defence to cross unopposed in the corner.
Vandals ran in four tries and a bonus point inside the first quarter, with Winch pinned on the back foot from kick-off.
In a grim start, wayward return kicks, defensive errors and a shaky lineout repeatedly handed possession and territory back to the hosts.
At 26 – 0, Winch finally showed some game management, winning a lineout on their first foray into Vandals territory. Slick handling in the backs sent Mason Baird over for a much-needed score, converted by Brad Caparo.
A lineout from the restart went horribly adrift and Edgar pounced for his third. Vandals were playing on the edge and overstepped it, a yellow card reducing them to 14.
A great run from Winch’s new centre Alex Kern set up a pushover try for Connor Furey. Nothing fancy, but at 33 – 12 there was hope.
Vandals collected a second and third yellow card as Winch played more composed rugby after the break. A driving maul sent Jimmy Wallis over for their third, closing the gap to 33 – 19.
Vandals still pounced on every error, intercepting from the restart for a sixth try.
Winchester’s forwards were solid and competitive throughout, with No 8 George Ward again outstanding. He grabbed the bonus-point try from the base of the scrum, and at 16 points adrift Winch were growing in confidence. When they held on to the ball and made their tackles, they played well.
But even with 13 men, Vandals always threatened, striking for a seventh try from a well-won lineout.
Pinned in their own half, Winchester struggled to break out until a dynamic run by Mason Baird cut through the Vandals defence, and Tommy Hare backed up to touch down for their fifth try. As the minutes ebbed away, Vandals struck again, leaving supporters wondering when Winch had last conceded eight tries.
Captain and 127-cap veteran Ben Turner reflected: “There were a lot of good individual performances and I hope people realise that we are a young side who are on a learning journey.”
Winch were more disciplined in the second half, matching Vandals three tries apiece, but the painful opening quarter had left them an insurmountable task.
Defeat can only bring fuel to the fire and they go again at home to Guildford on Saturday.
