Old Walcountians were pipped 13-12 at Old Whitgiftians in a tight Surrey One match on Saturday.

Walcountians went behind in the opening minute to a penalty from Whitgiftians’ inside-centre Les Todd.

But, in the 17th minute, they made a critical breakthrough when Tim Chauncey, playing out of position on the wing, intercepted a pass on his own 10m line and left the Whitgiftians defence in his wake for a try which full-back Ollie Beales converted.

Just before the break, Walcountians extended their lead. Ever-alert scrum-half Wally Fourie broke from a ruck and found Chauncey wide on the right flank to hold off an attempted tackle to crash over for his second try of the day.

With the slope in their favour, Walcountians should have built on their lead. Instead, they were rocked back on their heels by a resurgent Whitgiftians, keen to make amends for losing in the Surrey Shield final six months earlier.

The visitors were indebted to another dynamic performance from flanker Jack South, who put in countless tackles and won balls in both the rucks and the lineouts to hold Whitgiftians at bay.

Unfortunately, South was sin-binned as the game moved into its closing stages after a clash with his opposite number, and Whitgiftians took advantage of Walcountians’ short-handedness to score the two tries which won the match.

The first came in the 70th minute, when the Whitgiftians fly-half opened a gap in Walcountians’ defence and put Todd in for a try. Then, 10 minutes later, he scored a try of his own after being set up from second-phase possession from a ruck.

Walcountians threw on fresh legs in the shape of hooker Matt Houghton and flanker Leon McKenzie in a late bid to turn the match but, despite a frenzied last 10 minutes of effort, Whitgiftians held on for victory.

Walcountians have no game scheduled for next weekend and return on November 28, when they take on Old Freemen’s at Clock House (2.30pm).