Old Walcountians looked rusty as they slipped to a 17-12 defeat by Old Emanuel on Saturday.

Against a side from a division lower, Surrey One outfit Walcountians fielded a strong side with only full-back Ross Norton not having played before.

But Emanuel put on considerable pressure from the start, taking the lead after eight minutes following a turnover of possession in the Walcountians 22.

Their lead was extended to 10-0 after 14 minutes when their hooker peeled off round the blind side from a ruck on the Walcountians line and touched down.

The absence of flankers Scott Cook and Jack South plus the steadying influence in midfield of Chris Mockford were missed.

South is touring the world and Mockford working overseas so neither will be available this season.

Although the introduction after 20 minutes of veteran props Russ Carson and Phil Jemson, boasting a combined age of nearly 100 and tricky fly-half Callum Stone, Walcountians continued to misfire.

Poor handling, failure to support the ball carrier in numbers and getting caught offside all combined to squander potential opportunities to reduce the arrears, and the only times Walcountians presented a threat was when No 8 Gaving Welsh broke from the base of the scrums or when Callum Stone, Chris Walsh or Chris Drinkwater were in possession.

Emanuel extended their lead to 17 points just three minutes into the second half as their full-back joined a threequarter move, and it was not until the dying minutes of the game that Walcountians began to pull their way back into the game as the forwards began to camp in the Emanuel 22.

With five minutes to go, Chris Walsh, who was playing at centre, found a gap in the Emanuel defence and raced through for a try which Stone converted.

Walcountians pulled back one more try in the final minutes when the elusive Stone sidestepped his way past the Emanuel defence and released the ball for Walsh to cross for his second try of the day.

Despite the setback, there were some encouraging performances by new players.

Ross Norton, a teenager, had a fine debut for the 1st XV and should be challenging for a regular place. Five other youngsters, Archie Cork, Ryan Keable-Kinsella, Ben McDaniel, Dave Mowonge and Harry Rodd, also made their debut at this level and Cork showed considerable promise at scrum-half.

There was also an encouraging debut from big No 8 Jared Russell, another of a growing South African contingent at Clock House.

However, it was a sobering thought that no less than seven of the players called upon were over 40.

As well as Carson and Jemson, starting prop Steve O’Hara, Mark Hone, Aidan Moorehead, Graham Rodd and Bruce South all fell within this venerable category.

Walcountians start their Surrrey One campaign against newly-promoted Cranleigh at Clock House this Saturday (3pm).