MATCH REPORT: Darlington Mowden Park 25-20 Esher

Defeat leaves Esher fearing the drop
National League 1 - Saturday April 15

Report written by Richard Spiller

Esher's survival battle was left on a knife-edge as they head into the final match of the season.

A hat-trick of tries from Yari Fantini condemned them to a narrow defeat at Darlington Mowden Park on Saturday.

It means they take on frontrunners Rams this weekend at Molesey Road just one point ahead of Taunton Titans, who look certain to overcome already-condemned Leeds Tykes at home.

Relegation, just 12 months after moving up a level, would hardly be the ideal platform for moving into Esher's centenary season.

Darlington, who had their own fears of the drop until Saturday, made the perfect start by going 12 points ahead within the opening 15 minutes.

Fantini was the man responsible, first by taking advantage of a canny kick to touch down after five and the influential No 8 utilised a driving maul to force his way over the line, the second of those scores being converted.

A well-constructed try from centre Luke Peters got Esher back into the game on 25 minutes, Sam Morley's conversion making it 12-7, although stand-off Ali Ledingham followed his earlier conversion by adding a penalty.

Morley and Ledingham swapped penalties in the second half but the visitors were given hope of a win which would have gone a long way to make them safe by Fergus Donnelly forcing his way through to leave the gap just one point with 13 minutes remaining.

But it was Fantini who made the decisive intervention, completing his hat-trick six minutes from time and seeing Ledingham add the extras.

Morley cut the deficit by sending over his second penalty of the day but Esher could make no further inroads.

Until Rams slipped up to promotion rivals Sale last month, it seemed they might arrive at Molesey Road for the final match with the title sewn up and in party mood.

But they find themselves in a three-way fight for the title and will be in no mood to offer Es any morsels.