Bognor RFC’s 1st XV travelled to face Twickenham on a wet and muddy afternoon, returning home with a 45-33 defeat – and with a four-try bonus point, plenty of positives and the nagging feeling that a potential away victory had slipped through their fingers.

The hosts made the perfect start to the Regional 2 South Central clash, crossing for an early try as Bognor struggled to adapt to testing conditions. However, Bognor responded in the best possible fashion, using a powerful rolling maul to rumble over the line. Jeremy Newton Young added the conversion.

Twickenham hit back with a converted try of their own, while Bognor thought they had levelled only for the score to be disallowed for crossing. It was a frustrating moment for the visitors, who were beginning to show signs of what they could offer.

Bognor’s difficulties in adapting their game to the conditions proved costly. On a surface where possession was precious and the ball about as predictable as a raffle ticket in a hurricane, the visitors were guilty of kicking away too much hard-earned possession. Twickenham capitalised, and despite Bognor’s competitive efforts, the hosts went into half-time with a commanding 31–7 lead.

Lineout time in Bognor's clash with Twickenham | Picture by Martin Denyer

placeholder image — Lineout time in Bognor's clash with Twickenham | Picture by Martin Denyer

The scoreline, however, did not tell the full story. Bognor’s scrum was dominant throughout, with the front row of Weller, man of the match Mitchell and Turner putting in a tremendous shift.

The pack repeatedly got the better of their opposite numbers, at one point marching the Twickenham scrum backwards by a full ten metres. Hooker Ollie Mitchell also enjoyed an excellent afternoon at the lineout, finding his jumpers time and time again despite the challenging conditions.

The half-time team talk had the desired effect. Bognor emerged with renewed purpose, greater composure and the determination to make a contest of it.

The visitors began to turn their territorial advantage into points, with Foote powering over under the posts to get the comeback under way. A rumbustious drive from Rimmer followed, as Bognor’s forwards once again demonstrated their ability to make ground through sheer determination.

Bognor on the front foot vs Twickenham | Picture by Martin Denyer

Newton Young produced a fine try after Twickenham had responded, and suddenly it was moving towards a pulsating finish.

Bognor had rediscovered their attacking rhythm, and the hosts were being forced to work far harder for their points. The visitors' second-half performance was another demonstration of the heart, resilience and attacking ambition that have become increasingly evident in recent weeks.

For the second consecutive game, Bognor outscored their opponents after the break, turning a seemingly one-sided contest into a genuine battle.

At 38–33, with the momentum swinging towards the visitors, the prospect of an unlikely away victory was alive. Bognor had secured their try bonus point and were pushing for more, with the travelling supporters beginning to believe.

Sadly, Twickenham had the final say, crossing late in the game to make it 45–33 and deny Bognor of further points.

There was plenty to admire in Bognor’s performance. The first half will provide lessons in managing possession and adapting tactics to difficult conditions, but the second-half response was outstanding. The scrum dominance, lineout accuracy and attacking intent offer plenty of encouragement.

A special mention must go to Charlie Donoghue, who made a fine debut off the bench and contributed positively to the effort. It was a pleasure to face Twickenham, who proved excellent hosts.

The large travelling Bognor crowd deserved credit too. They braved rain, mud and changing fortunes to support the team and were rewarded with an entertaining contest and a stirring comeback.

Bognor’s second XV continued their fine form with a resounding 78-7 victory over Chineham and are fourth in Counties 4.