As my old grandfather used to say, ‘This will be short and sweet, like the donkey’s gallop’, because luckily my pen ran out of ink during the second half, somewhat, metaphorically, as Reigate did; so here follows the curtailed report on Saturday’s proceedings.

A reasonable start saw the Blues move into the visitor’s territory and camp there for the opening minutes, however, Rob being well wrapped up and manacled on a crash ball by the opposition defence, set the tone of Media’s intent for the afternoon – whilst for Reigate this was a dead rubber affair, Media still had promotion in sight, and a job to try and do!

As has often happened during this campaign, ball was turned over in attack, leading to a break away score to put our hard work into perspective – it is getting over the whitewash that counts. From kick off, we moved back into the ascendency and only strong defence by the Battersea side kept our pack out [Dan H, Neil, Ross almost, but not quite]; then with about ten minutes on the clock, Media again showed their attacking prowess, and despite hard tackling by Dan Y and Josh, their fly half chipped over beautifully for another score out wide.

On the quarter hour, the first scrummage. Like a waking giant, Reigate’s pack showed the tight power, which has been a strength throughout this season, to drive the enemy backwards, take a ball against the head and follow this up with ascrum penalty. Further Blue pressure saw Toby and Dan H go close, but it was the opposition centre who glided through our defence to add the next score, which was converted to give a rather, at this stage of the match, flattering 0-17 score.

More scrum dominance pushed Media back deep into their territory, and Robbie, like a man possessed, made yards, which led to some good interplay. Another Reigate penalty, quickly taken by Sami, eventually found Robbie [still presumably with a wasp buzzing around his shorts], who burst through several tacklers to give us a deserved five points – Sami converted, via the crossbar, to take the score to 7 – 17. However, the London side broke through again to complete the first forty [7-24].

Despite more urgency in our play [Dan B, Neil, Toby, Ross all advancing with tales up], another counter attack found our defence wanting,adding a further goal to put the game out of reach, although another robust scrum under the opposing posts gave Sami the opportunity to score an archetypal scrum half try, which was duly converted.

This then the time for the pen to give up – my only further notes from the contest ‘shirt grabbing’, ‘Media running straight through at will’. It was a shame for the league season to end in this fashion, but this is the only time, I can recall, where we have been totally outmanoeuvred and ultimately given up the ghost – with twenty minutes left to play, the score was still 14-31.

A comment from the touchline – ‘Generational stinker!’, but some moments of merit, not already mentioned: Dan Y’s superb take from their kick through, step and return kick to put us in a strong attacking position, Tiago’s and Felix’s brave tackles, Chris’s run down the middle of the park, the line outs and a new team member – welcome, Jake.

I am ending this report with the opening paragraph of my [unpublished, because I was so late getting it to the editor] first write up of the season, from the victorious away game in Battersea Park, against the same opposition...it shows what this group of players can and have achieved!

‘’The legendary chimneys of Battersea Power Station set an atmospheric backdrop to London Media’s pitch in the park, and, indeed, after Media’s first score, and opening fifteen minutes, it felt as if a Reigate victory would be as likely as a pig flying above those iconic pipes [always try and get a Pink Floyd reference in the first match report!]. However, just as the smokestacks stood dormant, by the referee’s final whistle, so too London Media’s players - their energy having been sapped and outmatched by a stunning Reigate display, which the whole squad can be very proud of.’’