Sat 16 Mar 2024, 15:00
RFU National League 2 East
Saturday March 16
North Walsham 12 Esher 48
Written by Richard Spiller
A victory laced with eight tries restored Esher to winning ways, underlining the gulf between top and bottom.
Es had gone over nine times when the sides met at Molesey Road in November – winning 59-7 – and if this victory was less emphatic, it wasn't by much.
North Walsham have claimed just one success in 22 outings, enjoying a sole success, and were under the cosh straightaway.
Esher's 13-match winning run, which ended seven days earlier at Tonbridge Juddians, meant they knew five points would ensure they remained top by a point and they have a match in hand over challengers Barnes and Dorking, with encounters coming up against both in what promises to be a tense final month of the season.
Es were ahead within three minutes, utilising a penalty on the home 22 line to force a lineout from which hooker Charlie Crawley was driven over. A similar move five minutes later led to the ball being fed out for flanker Harry Chamberlain score the second, Sam Morley converting.
The bonus point had been sewn up by half time, Luke Peters and Moses Fakatou striking – Morley converting the former – although Vikings were rewarded for their endeavours when Jobe Brooks touched down, following a lineout, leaving them 24-5 down at the interval.
Scrum-half Pierre Thompson ensured the visitors restarted well, scoring within three minutes, stand-off Morley adding the extras, Dan Rowland marking his return to action with the sixth try. Prop Fakatou's second and an inevitable effort from James Botterill on the wing added to Esher's superiority, Harry Steward striking at the other end to give the Vikings further compensation.
Esher have the opportunity to take advantage of another struggling side on Saturday when they host Wimbledon, one place above North Walsham. But their Surrey neighbours have lost a number of matches only by narrow margins and will undoubtedly be keen to have a say in the destination of the title.
Games to come – March 23: Wimbledon (H); April 6: Worthing (A); 13: Dorking (H); 20: Guernsey (H); 27: Barnes (A).
