READING Abbey battled to a 17-14 victory against Windsor in their opening Southern Counties North encounter at Rose Hill.

The visitors missed an early opportunity to take the lead when full back Jake Driscoll pushed a kickable penalty wide of the posts from 38 metres out.

He made amends shortly after, though, before Abbey full back Gavin Dampies (pictured) was thwarted short of the line after being released by centre Ben Mitchell.

The home side did cross on 13 minutes, however, when skipper Will Bevan, playing at outside half, broke to the left in the Windsor 22 and sent Mitchell on his way to the line.

The centre had a bit of work to do, but he accelerated superbly to cross for an excellent try. Diego De Marcilla Bahlsen’s conversion attempt from close to the left touchline kept too low, but Abbey led 5-3.

Driscoll missed another relatively straightforward kick as his side stayed behind, and they were made to pay when Bevan was high-tackled on the Windsor 22 and De Marcilla Bahlsen put Abbey 8-3 up after 36 minutes with the resulting penalty.

The remainder of the half saw Abbey defending frantically in their own 22 as Windsor produced perhaps their best rugby of the afternoon, aided by Chris Shaw being sin-binned for an infringement close to his own line.

Driscoll found the target with the subsequent penalty and Abbey’s lead was reduced to 8-6 at the break.

Play was halted for seven minutes with Matt McLellan lying prone on the ground, his injury clearly a bad one as the ambulance was still parked on the pitch at the final whistle.

The match was moved to the parallel pitch for the rest of the game and almost immediately the heavens opened, drenching players and spectators alike.

Windsor seemed to adapt more quickly to the new surroundings and the deteriorating weather, and they took the lead for the first time in the 53rd minute when outside half Jack Gaylor jinked his way to the line after a series of attacks. Driscoll again missed the conversion.

Abbey went back in front thanks to another De Marcilla Bahlsen penalty, but on 73rd minutes a Gaylor effort gave his side a 14-11 advantage.

Yet Windsor were then awarded a scrum 30 metres from their own line and a mighty shove from Abbey sent them backwards. The visitors were penalised and De Marcilla Bahlsen kept his head to land another good kick to level the scores once more.

Two minutes of normal time now remained, though it was clear that there would be at least 10 minutes of injury time following the earlier delay.

Again Abbey attacked with Woodward, Shaw and House to the fore, and two minutes into injury time they were awarded a penalty wide on the left.

There might have been a case for opting for a five-metre scrum, but with time running out the decision was taken to go for goal.

In what was to prove the pivotal moment of the half, De Marcilla Bahlsen judged a difficult kick from close to the left touchline to perfection, the ball just creeping over the bar to put Abbey ahead for the first time in half an hour.

And while Windsor tried to salvage something, a heroic densive effort gave Abbey the opening-day victory.