OLD Freemen's set up a promising season run-in after a deserved victory over third placed Old Walcountians, in a feisty encounter that included four yellow cards and one red.

Buoyed by a heartwarming performance against Surrey One leaders Teddington a fortnight ago, Freemen's went into the match full of confidence.

However, early penalty decisions did not go the hosts' way, and the opposition fly-half made simple work of kicking the goals. Midway through the first half a high ball was fielded in the Freemen's 22, and a panicked counter attack led to an interception and score under the posts for the visitors which was converted for a 13-0 lead.

The situation got worse for Frees when the talismanic Simon Daniels took a knock to his knee and was unable to continue. He was replaced in the back row by Bryn Edwards.

After a nightmare first 20 minutes, Frees got a grip on the game and dominated open play, denying the clearly confident Walcountians back line any possession.

The pressure paid off when a professional foul led to a sin-binning for the visitors' scrum-half and a penalty within range. Fly-half John Ormrod slotted the kick to reduce the deficit.

This started an afternoon of indiscipline for the visitors. Off-the-ball handbags from their No 8 earned him 10 minutes in the bin. Frees were unlucky not to score a try when Jeff Haywood charged down a kick and was adjudged to have fumbled the ball as he pounced on it, although many of those watching thought it seemed a perfect grounding.

The teams traded one penalty apiece to leave the scores 16-6 at half-time.

Knowing that they had all the first-half possession, Freemen's knew they could win the match, if only they could turn their possession into tries.

Within minutes of the restart the forwards cut deep into the opposition half with good ball retention and prop Nicos Charalambous powered over. Ormrod converted to bring them within three points.

The Freemen's dominance went from strength to strength and Walcountians couldn't cope, and were forced to commit more professional fouls. Their winger took a spell in the bin, and when the scrum-half entered a ruck from the side to kick the ball free, the ref had no option but to give him his second yellow and marching orders.

Freemen's took the lead with 15 minutes to go with a superb flowing move which saw lock Tom Fair shimmy past the last man and touch down.

As the game drew to a close there were moments where the supporters held their breath once the visitors' backs decided to run with it.

They had a moment to snatch it but the final pass missed its target and bounced harmlessly into touch. The travelling supporters, who had enjoyed a boisterous afternoon, were finally silenced when Ormrod rounded off a good day at the office with an interception try under the posts that was duly converted for 25-16.

Victory meant Old Freemen's maintained their 100 per cent home record, and will jump to third in the league if they win their game in hand this week.

Freemen's: Charalambous, Telford, Mills, Tyrrell, Fair, Crouch, March, Daniels (Edwards), Smith, Ormrod, Haywood (Jones), Wilson (Georgiou), Turk, Rowan, Campbell.