Wimbledon 55 Brighton 26 – display bodes well for Dons producing a strong season

Wimbledon’s performance against a competitive Brighton side bodes well for the Regional 1 South Central season ahead – the pack is strong and very mobile and the backs work really well together in attack.

The scoreline did not really reflect the Dons’ dominance – and they will need to ensure they don’t again gift their opposition three tries. All three came from avoidable errors, but they were more than compensated for by some excellent passages of play and the many standout individual performances.

Their first try, after two minutes, set the tone – a kick for a five-metre lineout preferred to a very kickable penalty and hooker Harry Scoble broke from the base of a powerful drive to barge over, converted by stand-off Ed Morgan.

Then a lovely break by fullback Brad Pinkham set in motion the first of a series of attacks that Brighton did well to defend, until they conceded a penalty on their 22 with Scoble again going over to make it 12-0.

On 20 minutes Brighton entered Dons’ 22 for the first time and a nice break through by their number 10 put them on the scoreboard. Dons hit straight back though with another good drive from a lineout, this time scrum-half Owen Davies deceived Brighton’s defence to score try number three, easily converted by Morgan.

With two of the visitor’s pack yellow-carded the Dons were rampant and should have been awarded a penalty try but from Brighton’s dropout the forwards took play upfield from where Morgan cut through for try number four, his conversion making it 31-5.

Then with haf-time fast approaching a couple of poor passes let Brighton back in the game with two breakaway converted tries to produce an unrepresentative score at the interval of 31-19.

In the second half centre Paul Hendry soon extended the lead to 36-19, fending off a strong tackle to score in the corner.

Brighton then looked much more in the game until wing Tom Webster finished off a classy passing sequence beginning on the visitors’ 22, Morgan’s conversion making it 43-19. Almost immediately it was left wing Richard Adeniyi-Jones’ turn to score after a perfect execution of a backs’ training ground move and it was 48-19.

Another strong run by Webster and a fine offload to centre Henry Peuble saw the centre cut through and score beneath the posts, Morgan’s conversion brought up what really ought to have been the winning scoreline. As it was, lax defence allowed Brighton’s 10 to score again for a bonus point and adding the conversion for the final score.

Wimbledon travel to face Bournemouth for the first time next weekend.