A masterclass in defence kept Reigate frustrated with not a single point to shout about last Saturday. With his view of the game comes this report from club Commercial Lead and committee member, Tom Gowers.

Warlingham RFC produced a dominant display at Hamsey Green to record a comprehensive 25–0 victory over Reigate in near-perfect rugby conditions. Despite being the home side, Warlingham ran out in their changed green shirts, but there was no mistaking which team was in control from the opening whistle.

Under an overcast sky that later broke out into sunshine, Warlingham started with intent. Within four minutes, Louis Rossi-Jones punished Reigate’s offside line with a confidently struck penalty to open the scoring.

The hosts extended their advantage just three minutes later. A deft grubber kick from Ollie Wilson split the Reigate defence, allowing Jackson Stevens to gather and touch down for the game’s first try. Rossi-Jones added the conversion to give Warlingham a commanding 10–0 lead.

Reigate briefly steadied themselves midway through the half as both sides exchanged scrappy passages of play. Warlingham were twice denied what looked like certain tries, with the referee ruling a no grounding and knock-on.

However, Warlingham’s composure soon returned. A beautifully judged 50:22 from Rossi-Jones swung the momentum back in their favour, and after sustained pressure, Reigate’s repeated infringements in the scrum were finally punished. Rossi-Jones duly slotted his second penalty of the afternoon to make it 13–0.

The home side’s dominance continued to tell as half-time approached. At 34 minutes, Terrell Palmer-Simpson crossed for Warlingham’s second try following a thunderous tackle that forced a Reigate error. Quick hands from Moses Bisatu released Palmer-Simpson, who powered through the defensive line to score. The conversion drifted wide, but Warlingham entered the break firmly in control at 18–0.

The second half unfolded in far less fluent fashion, with both teams struggling to build momentum. Reigate’s efforts were further hindered by injuries and repeated bouts of cramp. Warlingham’s Ollie Gill was shown a yellow card shortly after the restart, though Reigate were unable to capitalise on the numerical advantage.

As the match wore on, Warlingham once again found attacking rhythm. A sharp turnover led to a flowing move across the backline, finished superbly by Moses Bisatu out wide. Rossi-Jones added the conversion to take the score to 25–0.

A late yellow card for Nick Hammond proved inconsequential as Warlingham comfortably saw out the closing minutes to secure a clean sheet and a well-earned home victory.

Scorers:

• ​Tries: Stevens, Palmer-Simpson, Bisatu
• ​Conversions: Rossi-Jones (2)
• ​Penalties: Rossi-Jones (2)

Player of the Match: Jamie Hughes - a commanding performance in both attack and defence, setting the standard throughout for Warlingham’s pack.

Warlingham’s combination of structured discipline and attacking flair proved too much for Reigate, and the result leaves them full of confidence as they look to build momentum into the coming fixtures.

All photos: Hayley Sasserath
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