Leamington finished off 2025 with another very determined display, at home, against second in the league, Camp Hill, losing 24 points to 7, in a much tighter game than the scoreline suggests.

The home side were boosted by the return of Ben Keeshan, in the second row, and gave a First XV debut to Ollie Melville, playing in the Centre. Both “scholars” went on to have a big and positive influence in the match.

Leamington had to contend with the usual “shuffling of the cards”, prior to the fixture, which saw skipper, Joe Kinfghorn, swopping the number four jersey for the number twelve. Although the change did not weaken the home side’s performance, which was evidenced by the way they imposed themselves on the game from the outset. Ben Keeshan was immediately making good connection with his lineout play and early on he and prop, Louis Dunbavin, nearly opened up the camp Hill defence with some clever interplay.

The match began to develop into a very tentative affair; Leamington had done well to quickly integrate the “new blood” into their set play and were always a threat, Camp Hill, were composed throughout these initial stages, but unable to breakdown the stubborn home defence.

The impasse was finally broken around the 30 minute mark, with a try from Camp Hill. Leamington full back, Harry Stanton, had, minutes earlier, cleared a dangerous situation with a long kick to touch and then Ben Keeshan had intervened with a try saving tackle to prevent an incursion. Further pressure from Camp Hill ensued and a bobbling ball deep in Leamington’s 22 metre zone was snapped up by the opposition, for an unconverted score. Soon after, this purple patch for the visitors continued and they increased their lead with a converted try, to go in at half time leading 12 nil.

The second half was almost a mirror image of the first period, with Leamington showing an abundance of industry, but lacking the cutting edge in the final passage of attack play, to inflict damage. Their pack was firmly in control of the heavier, Camp Hill contingent, out-performing them in the scrum and always in contention in the lineout. The Leamington backline were also very solid; nothing getting past Joe Kinghorn and when given the opportunity, Ollie Melville was able to showcase his strong, direct running skills.

Where Leamington had struggled to turn pressure into points, their opposition were more clinical, inflicting two further tries to improve their lead.

In the dying embers of the game Ollie Melville punctured the Camp Hill defence with two quickfire and dazzling runs, the latter opening up space for John Brear to capiltalise on. The big Leamington Number 8 had been thwarted a couple of times earlier in the match but this time he forced his way through for a score under the posts. Josh Tokley added the conversion and in doing so, brought the curtain down on 2025 at “Moorefields”.

Full time: Leamington 7 – Camp Hill 24

Pictures by Pinfold

Words by Warner