One word can describe this top of the table clash in Surrey League 1 – ‘undistinguished’, writes Terry Brown.

Both sides looked as if they had first met their team mates on the morning of the match and played with little cohesion.

Nevertheless there was some controversy and, ultimately, an exciting finale.

Bec played down the substantial slope in the first half but with a strong swirling wind in their face. All the opening pressure came from the home side and only an outstanding last ditch tackle from Todd saved the Whitgift line after a break through the centre.

Also Colletta relieved the situation on many occasions with fine touch kicking. Bec missed two very kickable penalty opportunities but eventually the pressure told and they opened the scoring with an unconverted try after 25 minutes.

There was a suspicion on all sides that the scoring pass was forward but the try was allowed to stand. It has to be said that the Croydon side did not once threaten the home side’s try line in the first half.

Whitgift had the advantage of the slope in the second half but handling and positional errors spoiled many opportunities. Both sides continued to miss penalty chances until 20 minutes into the half Colletta put one over - or so everyone thought! In a decision that mystified all and had a huge impact on the final outcome the referee overruled the 2 linesmen and disallowed the kick. As if to rub salt into the wound, Bec then added 3 points from a penalty and Old Whitgiftians were 0 – 8 down.

With five minutes remaining Whitgift at last put some points on the board with a try from Dunsmore which Colletta converted. Despite intense pressure from the visitors they could not add to their tally and ran out the losers by a single point.

Surrey League 1 is a very tight league with little difference in standard between the top and the bottom and Whitgift will need more discipline and maybe a little luck to find that promotion spot.