Merton started their defence of the Surrey Bowl by beating Mayfair Occasionals with the final quick of their clash at Morden Rec.

Merton rested a number of players, with promising teenager Neil Quinn making the step up from the second XV.

Mayfair started brigthly, but the hosts broke the deadlock thanks to a piece of individual magic from Garth Hume. He burst through a number of tackles to make it over the whitewash and open the scoring. Encouraged by this success, Merton continued to attack, lock Damo Green showing great sleight of hand to put winger James Newbury into space, who was just thwarted when seemingly set to go over in the corner.

If Hume's first try was good, his second was out of the top drawer. Once again he burst from outside the 22, scattering would be tacklers left and right before finding himself in a bit of space, from where he was able to outmanoeuvre the visitors' full-back and slide over for an excellent individual try.

Youngster Frankie Murray added the conversion. Twelve points to the good, it was felt that the home side would push on, however, the Occies had other ideas and came storming back into the match. From a defensive maul in the home 22, the visitors secured turnover ball and almost waltzed over untouched down the blindside. When a second try was secured soon after, the game was definitely back in the balance.

Merton upped their game at the start of the second period and Tim Rossiter's try should have been the signal for them to take control.

However, a succession of dropped passes and ball being lost in contact meant that they could never pull away. Murray came close to increasing the lead with a couple of penalty attempts, but the ball slipped passed the post on both occasions. As the game entered the final minutes, a last effort from the visitors saw them tie up the scores with a converted try wide on the left.

From the resulting kick-off, the home side made one last attempt to steal victory. An offence in front of the posts, about twenty metres out, gave Murray the chance to send his team through to the semi-final and, on this occasion, the youngster produced the goods.

Merton resume league action at home to London Fire Brigade on Saturday. Head Coach Dave Burford looks to restore a few faces to the squad, including skipper Chuck Sanger, Dan Somerset, Dean Evans, James Ellis, Steve Capron and Jimmy McLoughlin.