Walden win on the road.

Walden come out on top against a strong Wanstead team.

Saffron Walden took to the road for the first time this season travelling down the M11 to Wanstead and marked difference in the weather of last week, with steady rain falling through out the game it was always going to be difficult to play open rugby.
Wanstead showed good intent in the first few minutes and some mistakes by Walden allowed them to kick to the corner and the set up a well rehearsed catch and drive scoring a converted try to go seven points up after 10 minutes.
However 5 mins later Walden reversed the situation with their own catch and drive from a 5 metre line out and hooker Sam Eardley at the back of the maul went over to level the scores.
Walden took the lead when Wanstead conceded a penalty 25 metres out, infringing at the breakdown and flyhalf Tom Price kicked the 3 points. 10 -7 17 minutes.
Wanstead were beginning to win the scrum battles and they used this advantage to drive the Walden pack over from 5 metre to retake the lead 12 – 10. 20 mins.
But Walden had the edge in the open play and from their own scrum 15 metres out got the ball out the back and after a couple of phases worked an opening for centre Doug Olaga to go over wide out to leave the half time score at 15 -12 in Walden’s favour.
The second half whilst not a great spectacle of running rugby but none the less was intriguing keeping the spectators on edge for the full 40 mins. It started with a series of scrums 10 meters out from Walden’s try line and each time Wanstead looked to drive the Walden pack backwards and each time somehow Walden managed to disrupt the home team enough to keep them out. Eventually they managed to force a knock on and Walden’s scrum survived and the ball was kicked long.
Wansteads frustration was then compounded when from another clearance kick they were attacking from just inside their own half, Walden's captain Mark Kimberley intercepted a pass and out sprinted the covering defence to score under the posts to put Walden 10 points in front. 22 – 12 after 55 mins.
Walden proceeded to protect their league for the next 20 mins but when Wanstead scored under the posts with still 5 mins on the clock it set up a tense last 5 mins, but the visitors kept their cool and when Wanstead gave another penalty away on the half way line they elected to kick knowing that it would eat up another minute on the clock also ensuring the home team had to run the ball out from under their own posts if they missed. The kick was short but a good chase by the whole team put pressure on Wanstead and Walden turned the ball over kicking it dead to take the victory.
Much can be gained from afternoons like this and the team can be proud of the way the stuck to the task to come out on top against a side that will test out a lot of teams in this league.
Walden Saxons bounced back from a heavy defeat last week with a bonus point win at home to Ely 2's and both teams will benefit with several players coming back from injuries and holidays next week.

We are always on the look out for new players to play either in the first team in London 2NE or the Saxons (2nd team) in Eastern Counties 1West, if you are interested in joining our friendly club please contact either info@swrfc.co.uk or graham.marshall2@ntlworld.com