The Army fell short in their winner-takes-all clash with the Royal Navy to relinquish their grip on rugby union’s Inter-Services Under-23 Championship.
Having downed the Royal Air Force in their opening match, the defending champions were looking for a repeat performance on home turf but failed to deliver as their rivals went on to complete a 19-6 victory and lift the trophy.
The Reds started positively and were rewarded in the fifth minute as LCpl Kevin Van-Der-Leest (R Signals) guided a penalty between the posts.
But as the momentum dipped the errors started to creep in and the Navy forced a succession of penalties that were eventually capitalised on by AB George Edson, who twice converted from the tee to hand the visitors a 6-3 advantage midway through the first period.
The fly half inflicted further damage in the 33rd minute as he launched a free kick downfield, which the Army then knocked on in their attempt to gather.
The Senior Service shifted the ball wide from the resulting scrum and when AB Ben Callard was held up in the corner, Edson was on hand to touch down.
The setback fired the Reds into life, and they rolled through the phases with strong carries and incisive passing in their first meaningful spell of pressure in opposition territory.
Pictures: Alligin Photography/Andrew Fosker
Mne Freddy Elliot was yellow carded for a misdemeanour in the advance but when the hosts kicked for touch from the ensuing penalty, they failed to gather at the lineout and the opportunity was gone.
Instead of suffering from the numerical disadvantage, the Navy then stretched their lead as Edson added another penalty on the stroke of half-time.
A second yellow card in the 48th minute – this time awarded to AB Jack Davis for dangerous play – handed a further opportunity to the Army and Van-Der-Leest slotted the penalty to reduce the arrears.
However, his accuracy deserted him around the hour mark as successive kicks drifted just wide of the posts and the misses proved fatal as instead of moving to within two points of the Navy, the soldiers saw the contest slip from their grasp.
Having won the ball at the lineout the visitors launched a swift cross-field move and, spotting space in behind, Edson placed a deft kick down the left which allowed Elliot to cross in the corner and complete a deserved win.
Earlier in the campaign, the Reds ran in four tries – and added 17 points in the last 12 minutes – to defeat the RAF 35-23 in Witney.
