HASLEMERE 17, SUTTONIANS 13

A ROUSING second-half performance earned Haslemere back-to-back wins for the first time this season and lifted them to seventh in the Surrey 4 table.

The weather was always going to play a big part at lofty Woolmer Hill and, with the gale behind them, Haslemere came out of the blocks at breakneck speed.

Within five minutes, second row Mike Harvey had the ball ripped from his grasp as he was about to score, while prop Zaren Hawkes was adjudged to have been held up over the line.

A spirited Old Suttonians then got a foothold in the game and worked their way upfield to score in the corner against the run of play. Their confidence soaring, the visitors scored another try and then kicked a penalty in front of the posts to lead 13-0 and bring a forgettable half to an end for ‘Mere who had been guilty of indiscipline.

On the restart, though, Haslemere turned frustration into determination. Full-back JP McCumisky cut inside some weak tackles to score their first try. But had they left their comeback too late?

From there, fly-half George Dyer took control of the game. A slick offload put Dave Head into space and the skipper broke several tackles to cross the line.

With ball in hand, ‘Mere always looked dangerous and when hard-running centre Robbie Campbell took them into the Suttonians 22, prop Sam Alderson charged over from close range. Man-of-the-match Dyer slotted the conversion and Haslemere led for the first time after 75 minutes.

A couple of daft penalties set up a nail-biting finish, and it took a bone-crunching try-line tackle from veteran second row Nathan Scott to keep the visitors out in the last play of the game.

Haslemere held on for the win and will take considerable confidence from their gritty revival.