Winchester’s 40 – 19 away win to Chichester demonstrated the ruthless edge that Winchester are developing. 

Chichester who had lost narrowly away at North Walls were determined to provide a stiffer challenge in front of their home crowd. 

The game was only decided in the last quarter as Chichester, persistent and streetwise as they have been all season, found ways to challenge the usually resilient Winchester defence. It took one of those running Tom Forster moments of magic to take momentum away from their game.

The game started with the best pack Winchester can field, dominating a scrum to create a penalty opportunity in front of the posts. Fullback Tommy Hare provided the three points.
The early signs were good for the away supporters.

Chichester’s No 12 Joel Andrews had other ideas and outrageously, just as he had at the first meeting of these teams, he slipped almost unopposed through all defensive efforts to score and convert under the posts.

Winchester’s forwards reacted by scoring two driving tries, Ben Turner touching both down, before Chichester’s Alex Einchcombe responded with a forward try of his own. Two tries apiece but a sub-par Winchester in front at the interval.

Hare has become an increasingly key figure in this team and had kicked both conversions. A further penalty kept Winchester ticking on the scoreboard. His place kicks and excellent tactical kicking meant that Chichester could never quite disrupt Winchester’s play. 

At the restart, another penalty score for Hare and Winch were 11 points ahead. Once again Chichester responded to the urging of the home crowd to find another forward try by Owen Tucker. A conversion took the game to 19 – 23. This was anybody’s game.

Momentum was with Chichester, winning set pieces forcing Winchester deep into their own half. Again the boot of Hare got them back into the opposition twenty two. Chichester crumbled in the line out allowing the Winchester forwards to drive again. The ball was finally supplied to the half backs who gave it to Forster who stepped, swivelled, swerved through all manner of attempted tackles, before finally diving and twisting to touch the ball down. Hare missed the kick, but at three tries apiece the momentum had shifted to the away team. 

Forwards coach Chris Searle was delighted by the wolf pack mentality shown by the forwards in the last quarter. Their fitness was one of the reasons that Winchester eventually overcame the determined efforts of the home side. 

Winchester could now play their patterns bringing halfbacks Connor Breen and Tom Fieldsend into the game. When they got into the red zone the forwards executed planned set piece moves. Foremost amongst them was prop Ben Turner. Normally a super-sub he started today and showed what a valuable player he is as he scored his hat-trick try. A bonus point for the team and a personal best for Turner! 

The boost when fresh substitutes Chris Milligan and Will Wilson came on enabled Jacob Culley-Wilson to put Winch out of reach on the scoreboard. That took the fight out of the opposition and put Winchester in an unassailable position. With the bonus point they remain second in the league, behind the all-conquering Jersey team who look firmly set for promotion. As they enter the New Year break Winch lead Totton and London Irish in the race for second place.

The next game is January 6 at home to Guildford.