HOW Eds contrived to lose this game will be debated long and hard. Comfortably ahead at the break 19-5, within nine minutes of the resumption they leaked 19 points to a determined Wanderers side and could find no way back. This latest blow sees Eds now lodged third from bottom in Midlands 1 West, nine points adrift of Laurentians, who have also played 21 games. Time for Eds to get their act together and avoid relegation is running out as the season draws to its conclusion. Things had looked so different at the break. Scrum-half Tom Short had landed four penalties and converted a try by winger Ashley Kalnins against a solitary try from Wanderers and a big home crowd enjoying the Weddington Road sunshine were expecting more. Their optimism was sadly misplaced as the Eds defence fell apart during that crucial second-half spell. Eds began with a flourish and under the watchful eye of guest referee 20-year-old Richard Hadkiss of Leicester, himself being assessed, were well in charge. Within 11 minutes, they were 6-0 with two Short penalties and despite some frentic handling, made it 9-0 on 21 minutes when he was again on target. Wanderers were prepared to throw the ball about and on 25 minutes looked set for a try in the corner when Eds man Carl Hutchings hurtled across from the opposite wing to put in a glorious tackle and save the day. Wanderers came back soon after when Eds full-back Jody Peacock’s attempted clearance was charged down behind his line and a visitor pounced for the unconverted try. Short knocked over another penalty to make it 12-5 and from the restart Eds scored a beauty. Flanker Alex Cape, a lively presence throughout, took the kick and made plenty of ground before finding Kalnins with a short pass. Kalnins jinked through several attempted tackles and sped under the posts for Short to make it 19-5. In injury time, Eds hooker Stuart Gibson was yellow-carded for a maul offence and it was while he was in the sin bin that Eds blew it. In the first minute, Wanderers scrambled a try wide out to make it 19-10 and worse was soon to follow. On seven minutes, an attempted Eds clearance was gathered by the visiting right-winger and he ran through unimpeded to score and the conversion made it 19-17. Two minutes later, it was all over for Eds. Wanderers formed a driving maul on the home 22 and a flanker broke away to score with not a hand laid on him. The conversion took Wanderers to 24-19 ahead. Unbelievably, a home cushion of 14 points had been turned into a five-point deficit in the twinkling of an eye. Badly stung, Eds regathered and pressed hard but Wanderers, who must have been surprised how easily they had gone ahead, were in no mood to concede more points and, even though they lost a flanker to the bin for 10 minutes in a fierce conclusion, held on for a win which had seemed so unlikely at the break. On Saturday Eds are away to Leamington, second from bottom and seemingly doomed. This is one Eds must not allow to slip from their grasp. | 
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