Deal & Betteshanger Lions 14 Old Dunstonian 15

The aforementioned wins have been by margins of, respectively, 4, 2, 6 and now 1 point. If winning tight games is a useful knack, the old boys appear to have acquired it in spades. D & B as usual provided stiff opposition and like Heathfield a few weeks before must have thought they had the game won only to have it snatched away at the death.

OD’s started faster, and after only two minutes had worked an overlap, exploited by Smart for an unconverted score. Bouyed by the benefit of the wind, the hosts bashed away at the D’s line, repelled by a determined and organised D’s defence. Having turned over home ball D’s were pinged for not releasing in the tackle and home centre Docherty kicked the goal. The hosts went ahead via the same player as he kicked his second penalty awarded against the old boys for offside.

The old boys turned around to play with the wind confident that a slender 1 point deficit could be overturned. Several good chances went begging, and D & B also showed they couldn’t be counted out as they created a couple of chances of their own. The old boys went ahead when the D & B 10 was binned for a spear tackle and Josh Smith kicked the resultant 3 pointer. The hosts weren’t done yet thought, and having edged ahead with their third penalty goal, they kicked a further award to the corner from which the D & B number 8 was driven over for an unconverted score.

In the final minute of the game with D’s desperately hunting the go ahead try, a series of quick taps eventually resulted in lock Smart being driven over for his second score, Smith’s coolly slotted conversion seeing the old boys edge ahead descisively at the death.

Another week, another close squeak. This 4 pointer consolidates 6th place in London South East 2 and sees the old boys only 2 points off third spot. Next week brings the visit of league leaders East Grinstead for what will be the toughest test so far of this Dunstonian renaissance. 3pm Park Langley.