Marlow suffer narrow defeat in transitional season
This was always going to be a season of transition for Marlow RFC, and their results so far this season - three wins and three defeats - would suggest that's very much the case.
There has been much change and churn at Riverwoods during the pandemic and, with that, the squad has a very different look to the one which last competed in Southern Counties North more than 18 months ago.
However, head coach Rory Greenslade-Jones is excited by the talent he has at his disposal and is hopeful they will be competing at the right end of the division this season.
On Saturday Marlow were narrowly defeated 24-18 at fourth-placed Reading Abbey, but the margins in the game were extremely fine and Greenslade-Jones' side could easily have chalked up a fourth win of the season rather than a third defeat.
It leaves them seventh in the table with 15 points ahead of their next match at home to second from bottom Gosford All Blacks on Saturday, November 20.
Windsor's form in the South West 1 East has gone from indifferent to concerning in the space of a few weeks, with Neal Kennedy's side losing 70-0 to Oxford Harlequins on Saturday.
The Royals had looked to be getting to grips with the division after victories over Grove and Chippenham at home, however, they've now lost three matches in a row, with Newbury
Blues beating them 64-0 and the Harlequins running in a host of tries to put 70 points on the board on Saturday. It's left them 11th in the table, just a point above the bottom two, ahead of their next home game against Sherborne on November 20.
Slough RFC are riding high in the Berks, Bucks & Oxon Premier Division having won five of their opening six matches. They sit second in the standings after being awarded a home win over Drifters on Saturday.
Next up for the Greenies is a trip to leaders Bletchley on November 20.