The Community Cup brings together teams who have never met before and Winchester lost away to Forest of Dean team Newent 34 – 33.

The game was won, or controversially lost, in the last minutes of an epic second half that saw Winch come back from 24 – 11 down, scoring three tries to one. Alex Mawdsley’s diving try, the bonus point try in the last minute, brought them level at 31 – 31. The result seemed to depend upon an impossibly wide conversion kick from Tommy Hare. 

As the ball rebounded in off the post Winch went ahead for the first time in the match. Their supporters thought they had won it, a comeback from a seemingly impossible position. Two points ahead and the dying seconds of the clock ran down. 

The restart by Newent was kicked long and Winch set up their defensive line. Newent threw everything at them but the formidable defence was holding as tackle after tackle went in. And then the whistle! 

With players from both teams in the tackle, the decision was that Jimmy Wallis had not rolled away, preventing a fair contest for the ball. Pound for pound, Wallis is one of the most effective and intelligent players in the team, and his dismay was evident. Twenty two metres out and almost directly in front of the posts, it was unmissable. Three points for the penalty, Newent now one point ahead. Time for a restart but the ball was quickly hoofed into touch and the game was won by a relieved home team.

Winchester were shocked. To have come so far, to have recovered from the first half pressure exerted by Newent as they poured down their sloping pitch and to see it slip away was clearly devastating. Defeat, by the smallest of margins, means qualification for Twickenham will depend upon results elsewhere. Winchester have a mammoth task ahead. 

Newent provided a strong challenge and clearly won the first half when it seemed that Winch had yet to get off the bus. Two tries in the first half, one conversion and four penalties showed a formidable ability to pressurise the opposition and to take their chances. Winchester’s forwards felt the force in the first scrum, knocked backwards they would have to cope with the pressure all afternoon. To their credit they adapted and Jacob Culley-Wilson had another crucial game in the number eight shirt. Newent also had a fly half and inside centre both able to pass and kick deeply, creating the open space that a dynamic set of backs could utilise. 

Winchester’s reply was to hold their ground and let Tommy Hare keep them in contention. His try, following up after a delightful chip over the Newent defence, was converted and two penalties scored meant that he was responsible for the eleven points on the board at half time.

Coach Gareth Martin, convinced that “our time will come” made no changes at half time. It seemed he was right as a beautifully weighted offload to wing Ben Sauve was grounded. Hare’s conversion brought them within a single score.

Newent came back. Their match winner, Tom Webb, slipped an inside pass to wing James Hartland who pierced the Winchester defence, scoring under the posts. A period of deep territorial kicking ensued where Winchester’s line speed told, as they pinned Newent back. Eventually, their second row forward was binned. 

Winch took their chance and Wallis came up from a successful driving maul that brought them back into contention for the final quarter.

As Newent’s forwards were flagging, Winchester kept coming and when Mawdsely scored and Hare converted it seemed as if this young team were going to pull off a remarkable result. It was not to be and, as a single point decided the contest, it will be Newent who march forward.