AN ENTERTAINING clash at Reigate last Saturday brought the curtain down on Winchester's season.

And, nightmare start notwithstanding, they know this was a game they could and should have won.

To concede three tries inside the first 15 minutes is not exactly encouraging in a match the visitors needed to win to ensure a fifth place finish in the league, so perhaps defeat and sixth place with an even won-lost record was poetic justice.

Some supporters had barely left the bar before ORs posted a score by Ed Bartlett, who bundled his way over from point blank range.. Full back, Mervyn Manus, then added a second as he strolled through a non-existent Winchester defence.

But again the conversion was missed.

Indeed, a trail of missed place kicks should have cost the hosts, given that Winchester had begun to look a unit, albeit only after giving away another try to wing man Andre Bothe.

He and Manus looked lively throughout as ORs put some good moves together.

But once the visitors began winning enough ball to play with, they had the momentum with the wind at their backs in the second half.Some aggressive forward play gave the first indication thatWinchester had settled to the task as a brace of penalties by Andy Ashwin proved beyond all doubt that there really were two sides on the rain soaked field.

The referee seemed to agree as he sent one player from each side to the sin bin for airing their differences in public.

But now the Winchester pack had discovered the way to go, taking the battle to their opponents.

Tom Pervin was magnificently bossing the lineout and hooker Tom Bolland was eating up so much ground that a lesser player might have got indigestion.

It was appropriate then that Bolland broke from the pack for a trademark score that had the visiting supporters roaring with delight.

Ashwin converted and amazingly Winchester had pulled to within two by doing little more than get the basics right, attitude being complemented by solid achievement.

Surely the second half would bring more of the same? Well, the attitude was OK at least, but not a point in sight for either side.

ORsmade several good breaks and perhaps shaded the territorial battle until the last few minutes.

ButWinchester know they should have made more of good possession.

Perhaps they pressed the panic button too soon as they began running the ball from far too deep in their own half.

They were in charge and they let their underlings off the hook.

Three times ORs missed penalty kicks from more or less straight in front of the posts in the second half, the clearest indication of all toWinchester that, as long as they remained tight, the game was there for the taking.

What might have been! In the closing stages the visitors threw the kitchen sink and all a home's white goods at the opposition, but ORs too remained tight as an engrossing game reached its climax.

The end of season entertainment in the clubhouse afterwards seemed to confirm the atmosphere in which the game had been played. Sin-binnings had been forgotten and a truce called.

Had promotion or relegation hung on the result of the game, the entertainment on the field would no doubt have been different, though not necessarily more gripping.

As things stood, two sides had given their all. 15-15 might have been a fair result but Winchester had their chances and can have few complaints. Next season will come soon enough.

WINCHESTER: A Welch, Woods, B Welch, Rogers, Arthur (Farrington 67), Brown, Ashwin, Rice (Hancock 67), Bolland, Moreton, Manning, Daniels, Pervin, Kirkaldy (Waterman 60), Knight