A late try from Warlingham captain Zack King went unseen
by the referee and the chance to share the spoils went begging. A Herculean effort by the fiery home team pack in the final quarter earned them scant reward as Brighton persistently handled in the ruck to prevent Warlingham's progression.

In the early moments Warlingham took the game to their visitors with hooker James Delderfield putting in his trademark crunching tackles and centre Ben Wimble looking elusive with the ball in hand. The early pressure put Brighton on the back foot and when No 8 Tom Street emerged from a rolling maul Brighton had no answer to his pumping footwork and a try resulted. Kozminski failed with the conversion.

The Brighton back line is renown in this league as being a potent force and, after they took a quick penalty the ball was shipped to the centre and they scored an easy, converted try under the posts. The future looked ominous for Warlingham as Brighton followed up with a second converted try after some boiler-room pressure exerted on the Warlingham line.

After the break Warlingham took control of the game but, for a short period when lock Luke Delderfield was harshly yellow-carded the Warlingham pack looked wobbly and a desperate kick out of defence fell to the dangerous Brighton back line who showed their class by swiftly moving the ball to their right winger who outstripped the defence for an unconverted try in the corner. From a scrappy melee on the half way line Wimble emerged with the ball and scampered the fifty metres to score Warlingham's second try, converted by fly half Joe McEvoy. Brighton were at sixes and sevens as flanker Dan Street and captain King drove forward with earnest desire, supported by the chirpy scrum half Stephen Murtagh. New full back Josh Williams earned his spurs with some fearsome tackles and the Brighton back line was nullified for the remainder of the second half. McEvoy put in a booming 22 metre drop out deep into the Brighton territory and Warlingham sensed the opportunity to strike back again. Both sides showed some frustration when Warlingham prop Scutt, along with a Brighton forward were yellow-carded for mere 'handbags.'

Warlingfham spent the final quarter camped on the visitors line with Brighton determined to spoil any attack with cynical foul play which gave Warlingham several penalties but no further coloured cards or penalty try. Despite every player, home and away - together with all the spectators, accepting a King try had been scored, the referee declined the score and gave Warlingham yet another penalty. At the final whistle Brighton were ecstatic at winning the game and the four points that went with it. Warlingham, who took the losing bonus point, could have been justified in saying - " We woz robbed", but this was rugby so the handshakes ensued and both teams adjourned to the warm bar to debate what could/should have been.

Next Saturday Warlingham travel to Sevenoaks for the last league game of 2012.

Warlingham: Abou-Zeid, J Delderfield, Scutt, L Delderfield, Fair, King, D Street, T Street, Murtagh, McEvoy, Wimble, Kozminski, Osborne, Skinner, Williams, Atkinson, Nunn, Ray