Wallingford 30, Trowbridge 29

Wallingford did their best to throw away a South West 1 East match they should have won comfortably.

Despite leading 25-3 and 30-10 early in the second half, confidence-shy Wallingford lacked composure, especially in their backs, and could not close out the victory.

Instead a limited Trowbridge side sensed blood as they powered back and wing Kyle Knight had a late conversion to win it.

Knight’s penalty gave Trowbridge the lead on their first foray into Wallingford territory, but the hosts were on top.

This was shown on six minutes when prop Kris Blaszko blasted through to score after a surging run from skipper Ian Jeffreys, fly half Jackson Sayce converting.

Blaszko and tight-head prop Ed Jenkins were having a field day in the scrums as Trowbridge could never settle on their own ball.

Centre Pete Holton forced his way over on the right after 17 minutes as Wallingford appeared totally dominant.

Sayce made it 18-3 by the half-hour mark with two penalties, but his side were conceding too many themselves.

Flankers Mike Chapman and Will Woodward had big hands in try No 3, which lively hooker Tom Hill finished near the posts for Sayce to convert.

The half ended on a very sloppy note as the home defence dithered and Knight collected a bouncing ball to sprint in and convert his own try.

It looked to be business as usual, however, on 42 minutes when Ed Jenkins propelled himself across the line after another surge from Jeffreys.

Rather than dictating possession, Wallingford got looser and looser and almost conceded a second breakaway try.

The hosts disrupted the resulting scrum, but not enough to stop No 8 Shane Johnstone scoring, Knight converting.

Wallingford came close following a charge down from wing Nick Windsor.

The errors and indecision mounted before replacement flanker Adam Sullivan was driven over by Trowbridge on 68 minutes and Knight landed a fine conversion.

This made it 30-24 and panic spread among home fans and players.

Scrum half Matt Dawes was yellow-carded as his defence became stretched, but Trowbridge could not capitalise yet.

Flanker Matt Howard stretched over to score on the right as stoppage time approached and Knight missed a conversion to win a match Wallingford were left desperately clinging on to.

Wallingford: Venners, Windsor, Collett, Holton, Smith, Sayce, Dawes, Blaszko, Hill, E Jenkins (Keable 63), D Jenkins, Rowberry (Webster 70), W Woodward, Chapman, Jeffreys (capt). Rep not used: Hull.

Referee: M Ellis (East Midlands).

Wallingford man-of-the-match: Blaszko.