Ellingham & Ringwood welcomed several visitors to Parsonage Barn Lane that included Reeds Weybridge under 13's who played against our under 13's boys, on the other pitch touring side Kenilworth Veterans played our Vets before the premier game of the day Ellingham & Ringwood 1st XV v Reeds Weybridge 1st XV. Thankfully for all involved the weather was beautifully sunny for those playing and for the spectators some of whom had enjoyed a Presidents Lunch provided by the Fish Inn.

With Reeds Weybridge just one place above the home team in the league and having had a close game with them earlier in the season where Ellingham were jus pipped to securing a draw when the home team scored a last minute try, Ellingham were hoping to obtain their first win of a difficult season. The first exchanges between the two sides were quite frenetic, then in the 9th minute the referee awarded Reeds a penalty for offside and their full back Ben Sherry slotted over the kick to give his side an earlier three point lead. Ellingham fought back with the forwards linking up well with their backs defence coach and man of the match Adam 'Higgo' Higgins muscling his way through several tackles to score Ellingham's first try of the game and winger Chris 'Pablo' Frost slotted over the conversion.

Reeds came back into the game and in the 27th minute full back Ben Sherry cut a good line and scored his teams second try of the game and then converted his own try to give Reeds the lead. This was a short lived lead as captain George Randall playing on the flank powered his way over after sustained pressure from the forwards to score Ellingham's second try of the game which Frost could not convert. The game was now flowing from one end to the other as winger Michael Turner playing for Reeds got their third try of the game and Sherry who was having a fine game with the boot slotted over the conversion. The scoreboard was not to be troubled again in the first half and the referee did not have to officiate a scrum as there was strangely not one in the first 40 minutes.

Unfortunately for Ellingham lady luck was not on their side again as for much of the season with full back Chris Jeffes turning his ankle when doing a clearance kick from the twenty two in the first half. His experience at full back was missing when in the 42nd and 44th minute the home team gifted Reeds two quick tries from not being able to deal with kicks played deep into their half and the away team snapped up the chances one of the tries going to flanker Joseph Harvey, with Sherry converting one of them. This effectively took the game away from Ellingham and then in the 52nd minute the away team go their fifth and last try of the game which again was converted to give them 36 points.

Ellingham showed fighting spirit and fought back with a try from Andrew Lorton playing at number 8 who had a good all round game putting in some hefty tackles was able to power his way over the line following a period of play where the home team were camped on Reeds five metre line, Frost was able to convert the additional two points. Trying to pull back against a tiring Reeds side Ellingham applied further pressure through their forwards and from that passage of play the ball was spun out Higgo for him to score his second try of the game and Frost was able to convert in the 63rd minute. Despite Reeds going down to 14 men sadly Ellingham could not convert their efforts into further points and the score at full time was Ellingham & Ringwood 26 - Reeds Weybridge 36.

Ellingham travel to Petersfield next week for the penultimate game of the season before rounding of the season against Havant the team who went up with Ellingham last season.