LONDON NORTH-WEST THREE LONDON NIGERIAN...........................19 UCS Old Boys..........................................31
ROGER COOMBS threatened to buy his players a rule book after they gave away three penalties in the first five minutes.
The Nigerian coach would have been tearing his hair out in clumps were he not already follically-challenged, only to see his mercurial team put on a last-quarter show he dubbed the 'best display of the season'. He added: "I thought they'd given up, it being the last match, but they stormed back and showed what they're capable of. If they could just get a grip on the rule book, maybe we wouldn't have given away all those penalties that have killed our season."
Ugo Ekeowa, Craig Castle and Ali Shelleng led the revival by all going over, and Josh Bruce kicked two of the three conversions. But the Linford Christie Centre side finished second-bottom, and were only spared the drop because rugby is re-organising its lower-tier leagues.
LONDON NORTH-WEST THREE Finchley....................................................24 IMPERIAL MEDICS.............................36
IMPERIAL MEDICS finished as west London's top dogs and condemned Finchley to relegation.
The Hammersmith-based side claimed a healthy fifth place with a dose of attacking rugby that saw them finally overcome a last hurrah from the north Londoners.
In fact, Finchley led at one stage, but were just shaded to the break as Medics hauled themselves back into the lead.
The 20-17 score to Imperial as they waded into the half-time oranges, turned into a healthy gap by the end as they went through the gears. Dan Neville played a hero's part by notching 21 Medics points including the first touchdown, four penalties and two conversions.
Sam Cordrington, Bard Hutchinson and Kevin Ilo all ran through to cap a more than decent campaign.
WEST LONDON rugby fans are urged to support a charity game tomorrow (Friday) and help the plight of Stuart Mangan.
The 25-year-old Hammersmith & Fulham player, pictured right, was paralysed from the neck down just over a year ago playing in a club match at Hampstead. An innocuous-looking tackle ended up with Mangan confined to a wheelchair for life and dependent on 24/7 care in his Notting Hill flat.
Regular readers of this paper will be familiar with the horrendous tale of the former fly-half. And tomorrow a star-studded Rosslyn Park President's XV are hosting a Middlesex President's XV, with all proceeds going to the Mangan fund. Entrance is £5 (children free) at Park's Priory Lane ground off Upper Richmond Road in Roehampton, kick-off 7.45pm.
If you would like to contribute to the Stuart Mangan appeal visit: www.hfrfc.co.uk
Details are on the HRFC home page. Hammers clubmate Chris Kennedy is also running Sunday's Flora London Marathon in aid of the Stuart Mangan appeal. If you can help please log on to: www.mycharity.ie/event/chris_kennedys_event/
