Rosslyn Park completed their league season with a 16-5 success at Dings Crusaders on Saturday, their sixth win in their last seven matches.
The difficulty of beating Dings on their sloping pitch is best illustrated by the fact that only Champions Mounts Bay and fourth placed Canterbury had won there before Park's visit on Saturday.
Park's degree of commitment to an apparently routine end of season fixture had the Bristol club on the back foot from the start, and as early as the second minute they were caught offside on their own 22, right in front of the posts. Richard Mahony made no mistake in adding the three points.
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Mahony made a good break through the middle, then put in a good positional kick to maintain Park's overall control of the early play. But Dings showed how good a side they are with their first real attack in the 13th minute, which stretched the visiting defence and some quick hands worked the ball across to winger Wright-Hider who knew where the line was.
This clearly delighted the Dings backs coach, former Park scrum-half Nick Walshe. So for all Park's edge in possession and territory, they were 3-5 down.
The visitors appeared unfazed by the setback and soon came back at Dings. With Park driving at the home defence the referee played a long advantage before bringing play back for a penalty in the 25th minute, from which Mahony restored his team's lead by 6-5.
A great run from Ed Lewis-Pratt nearly sent Nick Harlock in, but the winger was injured in the process and had to be replaced by scrum half Sam Browne after 29 minutes. Tony Paul also caused the home defence some problems but, after weathering some late home pressure during an extended injury time, Park went into the interval with a slender one point lead for all their exertions.
From the start of the second half Park showed their intent with a massive drive to the home 22, against one of the better packs in the division. A score looked likely until Morgan Jones was spotted by a touch judge stamping on an opponent.
The Park flanker was possibly fortunate that the card he was shown was only yellow, but his team nearly paid heavily for a moment's indiscipline.
Determined to make the numerical advantage tell, Dings hammered into the visitors. Park defended with great determination and skill, and when Dings knocked on with the defence at full stretch their best chance had gone.
Restored to 15 men, Park again took over up front and drove at the home defence.
A penalty was won and kicked to touch for the catch and drive. Park inched towards the line, gained a scrum but somehow the Dings pack summoned the energy to turn it. Park won the ball back and a great run from John Swords nearly bore fruit.
Dings, however, had far from given up the game and always looked dangerous enough on the break that a 6-5 lead was slender indeed. Back came the visiting pack with an immense drive and Park were camped in the 22 but there seemed no way past an excellent defence.
Such situations call for a moment of magic and it was delivered by Ed Lewis-Pratt, who received the ball on the edge of the 22 and somehow found a way past 3 tackles on a super run for as good a try as you could wish for. Mahony added the extras to give Park an 8 point cushion.
Dings were far from done for and tried to come back, but the game probably went beyond them when they kicked to touch into the Park 22. From the throw, Russ Forster was dangerously taken out in the air for the second time and the referee had no hesitation in showing the yellow card.
Park still had to play down the clock, with fully 8 minutes of injury time added.
They sensibly retained the ball until a searing run from John Swords almost beat the defence.
It gave Mahony his 50th League penalty attempt of the season, and his 39th success saw Park home and dry.
A run of six wins in seven matches - only runners-up Cinderford (away) have beaten them since mid-February - means that over the summer their supporters can dream of better times returning.
Park received a boost after the match with giant South African lock Michael Poppmeie, who left to catch a flight back to South Africa, revealing he had enjoyed his time with Park so much that he would definitely be back next season.
Director of rugby Shaun Justice will look to further strengthen his squad, but the immediate focus is on retaining Park's Middlesex title, followed by the London Floodlit Sevens which Park host on Wednesday, May 7.
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