Kaye's class cannot save unfortunate Winchester

Effingham & Leatherhead 25, Winchester 24

Winchester's game at Browns Lane last Saturday ended amid confusion and consternation.

With the visitors 25-24 behind in injury time, the referee awarded them a penalty in an eminently kickable position. Winchester supporters were doing a jig on the touchline.

The next thing they saw was Chris Ashwin taking a quick tap penalty. What on earth was going on, when a kick at goal was the obvious choice?

It transpired that the referee had made an honest mistake in telling the visitors the wrong score before that choice was made, a fact he later admitted. He'd said the score was 25-21. Had that tally been correct, then of course Winchester would have needed a try to win.

But Effingham had made all the running in the early stages and, as late as the third minute of the second half, were still firmly in charge at 20-7. Even so, the game was still there to win, and with the visitors' pack working up a head of steam, anything was possible. Their backs had found the right running angles too.

Centre Richard Kaye was the epitome of power and finesse. His first try got Winchester back in the contest after a sluggish start.

They'd gone 8-0 behind to a try by Eagles' flying winger Alan Ryan and an Ian Moore penalty. Ashwin compounded Kaye's rearguard effort and it was game on.

Although fly half Nick Losardo, with Moore's help, put the hosts 15-7 up at the interval, this game was going to be won by the side who were first to the breakdown.

And after Winchester had taken a sucker blow at the restart, with an Effingham try by Jason Evans, the visitors were looking the more likely lads. They quickly fired off a ten-point salvo. An Ashwin penalty was followed by a typical forwards' try from magnificent flanker, Jamie Kirkaldy, which the accurate Ashwin converted.

As if inspired, number eight George Daniels continued to grind out the hard yards. Hooker Tom Bolland similarly caught the eye.

Alas, somehow Effingham were still managing to get their blow in first, and James Hitchmough scrambled over for a try in the 70th minute. Kaye responded with another great effort at the end of normal time, which Ashwin converted.

Any score would do for Winchester. With five minutes of injury time played they were given a penalty - and the rest is history.

As the steam rose afterwards the visitors' head coach, Barry Bridgman, seemed to be experiencing one of those moments to which Bach's famous 'Air' is the only suitable accompaniment.

Winchester: Smith, Pillinger (Day 65), Kaye, Bingham, Farrington, Brown, Ashwin, Staszkiewicz, Bolland, Moreton (Osborne 60), Hayes, Ettinger, Pervin, Kirkaldy, Daniels.

Winchester's final league game of the season is at home to Chobham on April 22, kick off 2.30pm.