Wimbledon edged closer to the London Division One South title on Saturday after a 40-7 win over Twickenham at Beverley Meads.

With five games remaining, Wimbledon sit five points clear at the summit - a spot they have held for most of the season.

When these two teams met last November at Twickenham’s ground, it was the home team’s pack that dominated the game and Wimbledon were a touch lucky to walk away with a win.

While they still had a slight edge in the set scrum during Saturday’s re-match, they just could not compete with the rest of Wimbledon’s game, conceding six tries, five of which were converted by captain Neil Hallett – four of them from near touch.

It took just 10 minutes for Wimbledon wing Pete Scott to open the scoring, racing into the corner after numerous phases of furious rucking and some great carries by the forwards and very slick hands by the backs, all setting the pattern for the game.

Hallett strolled over for the second try 10 minutes later after anticipating and neatly intercepting a Twickenham pass 40 metres out.

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Rhys Morgan 

Then nearing half time a great break by scrum half Rhys Morgan - who had an excellent all round game – almost brought the third try but he was held just short of the line.

Not so Hallett moments later when he took a lovely pass out the tackle by Scott to go over in the corner.

Despite being on the wrong side of some puzzling refereeing decisions, it was just 12 minutes after the re-start that Dons added to their 21-0 half time score, when wing Neil Brown finished off wave after wave of Wimbledon attacks to go over for the all-important bonus point try.

With Twickenham’s almost only form of attack - the crash ball – easily snuffed out by the combined forces of Dons’ half backs, centres and dynamic back row of Campbell and Rob Tait and man of the match Steve May, try number five was not long coming.

A lovely Morgan break, quick ball to the supporting Campbell Tait, on to the ever-present Bryan Croke and the number 10 touched down under the posts.

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Not this time: Wimbledon do not quite get over the line for what would have been a seventh try over Twickenham

Croke also got the final try for Dons, showing his many skills in one brief passage - a neat chip over the defence, which he gathered himself before jinking through three tacklers, one still holding him as he reached to touch down.

Even at 40-0 down Twickenham had certainly not given up and their best move of the game gave them a consolation try by centre Mark Hayne, converted by Lorcan Kinsella.

This was a good performance by Wimbledon – one they will hope to replicate next week at Gosport & Fareham, the team that on Saturday denied second-placed Chobham a bonus point.

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