Blaydon 7 – Esher 17

Blaydon’s recent good run came to a disappointing end in difficult conditions which they failed to master, only rarely threatening to cross the visitors try line.

Having turned round only 3 points adrift and with the wind now behind them they huffed and puffed for 20 minutes only to be let down by errors and poor handling, and time was running out when winger Tom Jeffery went close with a powerful run and a try by skipper Keith Laughlin was disallowed for crossing.

Esher on the other hand got off to an almost perfect start when their fly-half burst clear in the home 22 only to see his pass to the winger go down with the line beckoning.

They did get it right however on 12 minutes when they kicked a penalty to the corner for No8 Brandon Walker to gather in the line-out ball for the pack to drive flanker Peter Synott over in the corner.

Alex Chisholm put over an excellent conversion but Blaydon hit back in their first meaningful attack on 25 minutes. Good line-out ball looked to be heading for a typical rolling maul but they then let it out for winger Sean Brown to take a short pass and jink his way though a crowded 22.
Andrew Baggett levelled the scores with the conversion but the visitors were back in front by the interval when Blaydon were adjudged to have wheeled a scrum and Chisholm obliged with the penalty.

Lots of endeavour by Blaydon but little in the way of penetration then followed, and after comfortably surviving the pressure Esher broke up- field to land a second try.

With Synott at the helm their pack drove deep into the Blaydon 22 and from a quick tap penalty the flanker was in again, and Chisholm once more on target.

John Brennan