The Met Police finished the first half of the League season with maximum points, securing a ninth bonus point victory against plucky Old Johnians.

The 41-24 victory at a bitterly cold Imber Court was a far harder test than the final score might indicate. The match itself was suspended for some 25 minutes whilst attention was given to an injured visiting player and the spectators were very grateful for the ground's top class floodlighting, not least to guide them back to the bar long after most young children would have been put to bed!

The Met ran in five tries, including another hat-trick for the prolific Chris Holloway, and JJ Connelly added 11 points from the boot. Nevertheless, at one stage Old John's clawed there way back to within three points with three unanswered tries, whilst the Police incurred the referee's wrath for repeated infringements which resulted in Laurence Bolton going to the bin. Some of the referee's decision even had the visitors baffled and at one point the Old John's No3 offered discrete apology to the Met officials. Possibly the two most bizarre penalties were for Met Loose head, Ash Davies, preventing the Old John No.8 playing the ball, and the Met being penalised for taking a lineout without the ref's permission. Said lineout was won by the Old John's No4! The Met should have had a sixth try when Yeboah dived on a loose ball knocked into the in-goal area by his opposite number, only for the ref to call a knock-on.

Nevertheless, the Met weathered the storm and exerted their strength and power to add the finesse to the victory with three late tries.

Once again, the Met showed how this season's edition has developed its all-round game. Resolute defence as well as a powerful and varied running game has made them too hot to handle for the other nine Surrey 3 clubs. January now looms large and with a 12-point gap back to second placed Caterham, the Met will rightly feel that a successful winter will secure promotion before Spring arrives.