When promotion was confirmed at the end of last season, this was the game that all Teddington supporters were looking forward to the most.  

It's been 12 years since the clubs last met in a competitive league fixture, but after a long wait the local rivalry was finally renewed in a feisty encounter on Friday evening, 22 September.  

The game was rescheduled to a day earlier than usual, but the floodlights only added to the anticipation.  

Both teams were coming into this off big wins in the first round of matches and a bumper crowd gathered to see how this one unfolded. 

Not surprisingly neither side were giving an inch in the opening exchanges, with ferocious defending coming out on top.  

Teddington nudged into the lead with a Bob BEEVERS penalty which was swiftly reciprocated by the Twickenham fly half.  

Teddington then manufactured some good field positions, went through the phases, and rode out some big Twickenham tackles to send Angus BELL over for the first try with BEEVERS converting.  

A few minutes later the Antlers were back again in the hosts 22, with Hal DARE crossing the line. With the conversion successful, the visitors were now out to a 3-17 lead and looking comfortable. 

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 Twickenham came back though, working their own field positions and going over after a period of pressure in Teddington's 22.  

Five minutes later they broke through the Teddington defence and down the left flank to score again, to level the scores at 17-17.  

A subsequent BEEVERS penalty settled things for Teddington, and they turned around with a narrow 17-20 lead. 

As the second period ticked by the Antlers were struggling to get any fluency to their game and it seemed as if Twickenham were beginning to gain the upper hand. 

On 55 minutes, they capitalised on this, scoring, and converting to take the lead for the first time, 24-20. There was no doubt Teddington were in a game and the deficit on the scoreboard seemed to galvanise the men in blue.  

Putting pressure on Twickenham's goal line with several close-range carries, it was eventually Dan ROBERTSHAW who forced his way over to restore the lead. The visitors' tails were up now as they started to move the ball into the wide areas.  

Skipper Jack MILLER made a glorious midfield break, before combining with Tom WILLIAMS who sent Max AITKEN scorching over from the left wing.  

And then MILLER himself crossed the whitewash to cement a man of the match performance and seal the victory. 

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This was an intense, fully committed encounter that threatened to spill over on a number of occasions. 

No doubt both sides will be looking to contest the top end of this league come next spring, but for now its Teddington who bag the points and the local bragging rights.  

Final Score Twickenham RFC 24 Teddington RFC 39. Man of the Match Jack MILLER. 

More good news on Saturday 23 September, as Teddington 2nd XV continued their impressive start to the season as they hosted Battersea Ironsides in their Merit Table Clash. 

There was a brace of trys for both Cam FISH and Emmo ALLEN, and trys also for Josh McKIERNAN, Chris LIDDINGTON, Robbie HARTE, and Ethan DAVIES. Final Score Teddington 50 Battersea Ironsides 12.