Windsor stroll to victory over Bletchley with a helping hand from Reading

Their pitch may have been a foot or two underwater last week, but Windsor managed to play their scheduled home game with Bletchley at Reading RFC’s ground on Saturday, and they’ll be mightily pleased with the outcome as they strolled to a 63-8 victory.

The recent flooding along the River Thames had threatened to stall Andy Symons’ sides impressive season, but a helping hand from one of their neighbours enabled them to keep the pressure on leaders Beaconsfield, who are yet to put a foot wrong in the Counties 1 Tribute Southern North league this season. The result keeps them within 14 points of the leaders, who enjoyed an equally comfortable 58-5 win over Buckingham on Saturday to maintain their perfect record in the league this season.

Fifteen straight wins suggests Beaconsfield aren’t going to loosen their grip on the title anytime soon, however, Windsor will be hoping they’ve done enough to be promoted alongside them should they finish second. That’s also looking increasingly probable with the Home Park outfit now 12 points clear of third placed Oxford Harlequins 2nds.

They’ll be looking to widen that gap when they visit Oxford Harlequins in their next league game on Saturday week (January 27), while their next home game is against Bracknell 2nds on February 3, by which time the pitches at Home Park could be back in a playable condition.

In the Regional 2 Thames division above them, Marlow’s recent struggles continued with a 19-33 home defeat to Grasshoppers.

Marlow had flooding issues of their own to contend with, but Saturday’s match against Grasshoppers went ahead as scheduled.

Rory Greenslade-Jones’ side would have headed into the game hopeful of picking up much-needed points in their battle to beat the drop – despite their recent poor form and struggles to name a consistent starting XV. However, Grasshoppers – who they beat 38-31 away from home earlier in the season – proved too strong for them on this occasion and inflicted a sixth straight defeat on them.

The result leaves Marlow second from bottom in 10th, just three points above bottom club Fullerians and six now adrift of Aylesbury in ninth place. Their next scheduled clash promises to be a huge one, with Fullerians the visitors to Riverwoods on Saturday, February 3.