TRINITY A XV 5 KCS OLD BOYS 2s 20

Trinity welcomed KCS Old Boys to LMA for the next test in the Surrey Alliance league, having stepped up two levels after last season’s promotion. The side featured first starts for Henry Cotton at hooker – a proud product of local Riddlesdown rugby – and welcome returns for Ben Perrett and Matt Shillabeer.

During the early warm-up it was clear that KCS had brought a young, well-drilled outfit, meaning Trinity knew they’d need to raise their level.

The opening exchanges were promising for the home side. Dave Stanton punched through the line and linked nicely with Dan Crouch, only for the KCS defence to snuff out the attack. Trinity’s forwards carried well through Shillabeer, Bellamy and Donovan, pushing KCS backwards and earning front-foot ball.

However, KCS were sharp over the ball all afternoon, winning several jackal penalties that relieved pressure and flipped momentum. After sustained possession in Trinity’s 22, KCS crossed for their first try.

Challenging conditions – a strong crosswind and a well-organised KCS lineout jump – made clean possession difficult. Trinity did manage periods of sustained pressure, camping deep in the KCS 22, but the visitors defended stubbornly and eventually cleared their lines. Moments later, a midfield break from the KCS backs led to a second try, giving the away side a 0–10 half-time lead.

Trinity went into the break feeling they had left opportunities behind, having been held up on the KCS line multiple times. The message was simple: more composure, better breakdown accuracy.

The weather worsened after the break, leading to a string of scrums. Dom Plumb, Henry Cotton and Tom Jupp held up well in the front row, while Ben Perrett entered from the bench to add punch in the midfield. Trinity again built promising phases but lost possession at key moments, allowing KCS to escape.

A difficult spell followed when Mark Macaskill received a yellow card for an off-the-ball incident, quickly followed by another yellow for Will Heaver in what looked a harsh call. Down to 13 men, Trinity defended bravely but the overlap eventually told and KCS extended their lead to 0–15.

Back to a full complement, Trinity chased the game. Will Heaver sparked an excellent counter-attack from full-back, with Tom Caplin and Callum True carrying strongly. True, who was outstanding all afternoon, powered over for a well-deserved try to bring the score to 5–15.

Any hopes of a comeback faded when KCS crossed again for an unconverted try, sealing a 5–20 victory. Heavy rain and a sequence of reset scrums brought the game to a close.

Despite the defeat, Trinity once again showed they can compete at this higher level. The younger members of the squad stood out – Archie Bellamy, Henry Cotton and Seb Robertson all impressed, with Robertson winning multiple jackal penalties.

Trinity return to LMA next weekend for another league fixture against Old Cats.

Man of the Match:

Callum True – relentless carries and a deserved try.

Dick of the Day:

Sparky – who delivered the pre-match huddle message of “low tackles lads, aim below the shirt sponsor”… then conceded a penalty for a high tackle in the first minute. Of course he did.

Saturday 22nd November 2025

Trinity RFC 2nd XV 5 – 20 KCS Old Boys 2nd XV
Try Scorer: Callum True

Squad: Dom Plumb, Henry Cotton, Tom Jupp, Ben Donovan, Matt Shillabeer, Archie Bellamy, Jon Eynon, George Daniels (c), Dave Stanton, Dan Crouch, Callum True, Mark Macaskill, Seb Robertson, Tom Caplin, Will Heaver, Ben Perrett

Match Report bu Mark Macaskill