Winchester 10, Chobham 11

LITTLE went right for Winchester at Nuns Road last Saturday as they slipped to their second consecutive London League - Division 3 South-West defeat - one that threatens to turn a promising season into one of mid-table mediocrity.

Fielding a team with several players out of their preferred positions, the hosts failed to impose any authority or control during the first half.

The eleventh hour withdrawal of number eight Ben Baseley with an ankle injury robbed them of a considerable forward force, one that has helped maintain momentum when the going gets rough.

As a result, much of the first period developed into a scrappy affair bogged down in a midfield kicking duel, so difficult was it becoming to keep ball in hand.

Two penalties by full back Peter Shepperd gave Chobham a useful lead, but it had taken half an hour for anything of note to occur - with the significant exception of the harsh sin-binning for Winchester's Ed Ravenhill for a technical offence.

Chobham were streetwise throughout, taking advantage of Winchester's travails at the lineout to prevent pressure building on their defence.

From a lineout on Winchester's 22, the visitors set up a driving maul that allowed flanker Mark Creane to break and score. But a Dan Kinsey penalty gave Winchester hope.

In the second half, it soon became clear that the hosts had heard the clarion call. They camped in the Chobham half throughout, but constant injury breaks stopped them building up a healthy head of steam.

Winchester's brightest moment came with a first try from a kick and chase for winger Paul Todd. Kinsey's conversion reduced the arrears to a point with over 20 minutes still to play.

For much of that time the hosts laid siege to Chobham's line. But, in truth, had Winchester pulled off the victory, they would have realised that the gods were with them. Their shortcomings at the lineout didn't help, and a series of wrong options blunted their edge, disappointingly so in that they had worked hard to establish good positions from which to attack.

Captain Richard Knight was consistently in the thick of the action and Campbell Ettinger went on several of his trademark rampaging runs, but all to no avail.

That said, this Winchester outfit keeps on trying, never knowing the meaning of defeat until it happens.

During the last ten minutes a winning try looked inevitable as Winchester showed glimpses of their true selves.

Frustratingly, however, the referee blew for time having played little or no injury time.

By such means was justice done, leaving much work ahead to keep the team on track. Ben Baseley, undoubtedly the find of the season for Winchester, was sorely missed; a touch more guile might have made all the difference.

Winchester travel to table-topping Jersey tomorrow (30th) for a league clash that, on paper at least, looks a tough assignment.

Winchester: Waddington, Todd, Ashwin, Kinsey, Ravehill (West 65), van Rooyen, Turner, O'Donoghue (Churcher 60), Crowther, Mort, Hayes (Shewry 60), Ettinger, Pervin, Kirkaldy, Knight.