Camberley muck in to take 28-23 win

CAMBERLEY emerged from a very muddy Regional One South Central battle against Marlborough as 28-23 victors, despite the conditions suiting the enormous visiting team more than the Black & Ambers.

The game saw Camberley starting proceedings and following a period of kick tennis, which the visitors won, there was a lineout in the home 22 and Marlborough reacted quickest to the situation and claimed their first try after just four minutes.

From the restart, Camberley applied pressure in the visitors’ 22 but in the conditions their error rate grew.

However, on 20 minutes, yet another attack saw Camberley number nine Max McCarthy make a superb break timing the final pass to Tony Ripata for the loosehead to crash over near the posts.

McCarthy added the make it all square.

With both sides struggling with the conditions underfoot it was the visitors who nudged the scoreboard along when they converted a penalty from the Camberley ten-metre and their policy to truck most things up via their XL sized pack, plus generally winning the kicking game, saw them add to their total in time added on making the score at the break 13-7.

Things still took time to improve for the Black & Ambers in the second period and it took some good, old fashioned rugby brain, Jaid Wiltshire who, when given the opportunity, played a lovely kick deep into extras to the redzone.

Following more good pressure and some unforced errors by the visitors, Sam Voight claimed the touchdown and with McCarthy again adding the extras; 14-13.

This lead was not to last too long as the visitors scored another penalty although at the expense of their kicker, who unfortunately injured himself while notching the three points.

The restart saw just a bit of what Camberley are capable of when two or three penalties saw them move into the redzone again and an unstoppable drive from the lineout was followed by Spencer Hayhow scoring.

McCarthy converted from wide out, moving the score to 21-16 as the game moved into the final quarter.

With the Marlborough restart not making the ten-metre, Camberley again applied pressure.

A great break by Alex Young again took the home team into the redzone and from the resultant lineout, and also playing an advantage, Chris Bird crossed for the try bonus point and with McCarthy making it four from four; 28-16. The visitors had one more score in them as they broke away and, benefiting from a couple of lucky decisions, they managed to collect their losing bonus point with a try in the closing minutes.

On Saturday, league leaders Camberley are away to second-placed Havant, which the Hampshire side having two games in hand over their guests.