Windsor RFC get one over Sherborne in topsy-turvy league clash at Home Park

Windsor RFC 27, Sherborne RFC 26

Patience and positivity were key to Windsor RFC’s success over Sherborne on Saturday, according to Ben Grant-Adamson, with the Berkshire outfit emerging victorious in a topsy-turvy league clash at Home Park.

In front of some inspiring home support, the hosts clinched a 27-26 victory to lift them into 10th place in the Tribute South West 1 East and put an end to a losing streak of three matches in the division.

Reflecting on what the result means to Windsor rugby club, vice-captain Grant-Adamson said at full-time: “We’ve had a tough few weeks so it’s great to have finally bounced back today.

“We just had to believe in ourselves. We’re focused on keeping positive because we know we have got the ability to break down these teams. Staying patient has been key aswell.

“[Before the game] we worked on ensuring we are really clinical when we get opportunities and I think we demonstrated that today.”

As the scoreline suggests, this result was not plain sailing for Windsor and Sherborne had leapt into the lead in the 13th minute thanks to Thomas Cuff’s try and Rhodri Hopkins’ well-executed conversion.

Max Harvey looked likely to get another five points over for the visitors down the left moments after had it not been for James Winter’s strength in the home side’s back row.

Turning defence into attack, captain Chris Emmett charged upfield with possession before being brought down just metres from the goalposts.

Benefitting from the following scrum, Windsor bundled the ball over the tryline.

Frustratingly, Grant-Adamson was unsuccessful with the following conversion, but fortunately another try was bestowed to the hosts four minutes later when George Blackburn offloaded the ball to Winter at the perfect time.

Sherborne got their noses back in front on the half-hour mark, thanks to Cuff and his exploit of the left flank, with Hopkins slotting away the subsequent kick.

Through a rolling maul, they scored another try much to Windsor’s frustration who had worked hard to get into half-time with a respectable discrepancy, the score at the break 10-21.

Under Neal Kennedy and Jack Pattinson’s instruction, the hosts were on the attack straight after the interval with strong belief and confidence they could get something from this game.

Battling on Sherborne’s 22 for the best part of five minutes, Windsor jockeyed down another try on the far side of the pitch and Grant-Adamson was on target for the extras.

With some excellent aggression and ambition, the hosts fired themselves into the ascendancy on the 51st minute with another try and conversion making the score 24-21.

However, seemingly against the run of play, Sherborne chalked up five points of their own, to retake the lead, bizarrely electing against the conversion.

Not allowing their heads to drop, Windsor pressed and pinned their visitors in their half and, as a result, Grant-Adamson was presented with a penalty kick in the 65th minute.

Keeping his cool, the scrum-half’s effort floated through the posts to make the score 27-26. And – raucously cheered on by those in attendance – the hosts were able to wind down the remaining 15 minutes left to play.