Esher 24 v Blackheath 18.

An eighth league visit to Molesey Road and a first victory at this venue continues to elude Blackheath. Esher have made two trips to the Championship in recent years, and are keen to return for a third time, but this has not been their best start to a league campaign and at the outset of the day the Surrey side found themselves just below Blackheath in seventh place in the table.

Small wonder then that Simon Legg spied this as the perfect opportunity for the Club to break their duck.

However, despite two late scores giving the visitors the consolation of a losing bonus point, and levelling the try-count at three apiece, on balance Esher were better than the final scoreline might suggest, their superiority up front in the tight phases and the breakdown giving EEEs the lion’s share of territory and possession.

Blackheath did make the better start though. An awkward bounce handed the visitors possession and a platform for an assault on the hosts’ goal-line straight from the kick-off, and as Esher conceded early penalties, Dave Allen was driven across from line-out ball for the first try.

The line-out was an area at which Blackheath continued to compete well, but the set-scrum was a different matter with Esher firmly on top, and with a stiff breeze also against them the visitors found themselves pinned in their own half of the field.

Despite some strong defence the breach eventually came in the 24th minute as, not without a hint of obstruction, left-wing Joe Brown found a gap in midfield after Esher had picked and drove infield off a line-out. Gavin O’Meara was temporarily removed for coming in at the side as the pressure was kept up, and on 32 minutes a similar move saw Brown pierce the cover a second time. Full-back Ali Chisholm, whose kicking would ultimately prove the difference between the sides, added both conversions and Esher ended the period 14-5 ahead.

The wind relented and the rain, torrential at times, arrived to greet the second period.

A 45th minute Alex Gallagher penalty brought Blackheath within range, but soon after a more speculative effort, which might have served better being plonked into touch, was missed and, close to the hour, Chisholm restored EEEs’ nine-point advantage with his own strike as both sides wrestled with the conditions.

For Blackheath, however, their cause was hindered by the loss of Allen to a 71st minute yellow card for the robust removal of an Esher player on the wrong side, but with their flanker went any realistic chance of turning the match.

Instead, it provided the signal for Esher to crank up the forward power once again and, having been held up across the goal-line on two occasions, their superior numbers forced the penalty try from the subsequent five-metre scrum which settled the result in their favour.

Nevertheless, it’s to Blackheath’s credit that they responded positively and took advantage of their hosts taking their foot off the pedal. Almost straight from the re-start the ball was moved wide for Chris Sewell to race down the left-flank from half-way for a try on the number-eight’s first Club start. And as Esher looked for a fourth try by breaking from their own twenty-two, the greasy ball was spilt for Harry Sheppard to snap up and score on the opposite flank to at least give Blackheath some reward for their afternoon.

Next Saturday, Blackheath return to Rectory Field for the first visit of Hartpury College. Kick-off is 3.00 pm.

Esher.

Tries: Brown 2, Penalty try.

Conv: Chisholm 3.

Pens: Chisholm.

Blackheath.

Tries: Allen, Sewell, Sheppard.

Pens: Gallagher.