Sports result: Winchester College Football XVs
Commoners 42-40 OTH
Commoners’ held on for an impressive late victory over OTH to secure the title of XVs winners 2019 by two points.
The build-up to the biggest Winchester College Football game of the year was massive as always, with Flint Court decorated with tens of banners and posters, not to mention the hundreds of team shirts hanging around the school. This anticipation was carried across onto the pitch before the game started, with fans arriving with painted faces, waving flags and sporting their team's colours, long before the match began.
The game started exceptionally for Commoners’ who, led by captain Cosmo Summerfield and behind several superb busts from back kick Hereward Mills, took advantage of a strong wind and stormed into an early lead that they would not surrender for the rest of the game.
All this left them leading by more than 20 points going into half time; while the younger supporters were confident this would be insurmountable, the older heads knew that with the change of ends OTH would have the wind at their backs in the second half. Commoners’ came out from the half time team talk firing on all cylinders again, extending their lead further. It wasn’t until there were just 20 minutes left in the game that the OTH come-back started, but start it did. Several quick-fire goals from the Titus Grusnius-led OTH side brought the browns within touching distance of the Commoners’ lead but a late goal by Kaming Vancoille in the final minute put the result beyond doubt.
Despite the long busts and flyers receiving the biggest cheers of the afternoon, it was the Commoners’ hot that secured victory; they controlled the clock and secured clean ball for their ups.
The red support, of course, erupted at the final whistle, after chanting and singing passionately throughout the game.
VIs remains to be played in but for now, Commoners’ will revel in their impressive victory in what is undoubtedly the biggest match of the season.
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