University Vandals 3 Richmond 52 After last week's desperate disappointment at Halifax, Richmond resumed normal service in the quarter-final of the Tetley Bitter Surrey Cup, defeating University Vandals 52-3 and scoring ten tries in the process.

It was a still, sunny afternoon on Desborough Island in the middle of the Thames and Richmond were able to treat the handsome home crowd to a feast of running rugby, writes Ted Brown.

Vandals, for their part, created a number of openings for a more than useful back division and, particularly in the first half, Richmond were required to defend with tenacity. But seemingly when they did break from their own half a score ensued, and so it was after ten minutes when No 8 Ross Evans powered away from the back of a scrum to send in Tigger' Woods for a try.

The Walton side were then unfortunate when attacking down the left in numbers, the last man kicked the corner flag as he touched down and the assistant referee correctly signalled a no try in circumstances that would have called for a video replay in more prestigious stadia.

Gradually Richmond took control and from an exemplary lineout take by Henry Head, the ball went out to centre Will Taylor, who carved through under the posts for Sean Flynn to convert.

The visitors soon went further ahead when, inside his own half, scrum half Woods fooled everyone by going down the blind side with all his backs lined up elsewhere. But with flanker Mark Draper helping out, Head appeared charging headlong down the wing and found Woods in support, who scampered over for an amazing try.

The Vandals backs again pressured Richmond, who conceded a penalty, ably kicked by full back Wrigley for a deserved score, but the visitors quickly hit back with the reliable Taylor going over in the left corner.

The increasingly experienced Richmond pack were now dominating their opponents and a forward surge, assisted by Woods, enabled prop Rupert Allhusen to force his way over for a rare try, though Flynn had the misfortune to see his conversion attempt deflected by a charging Vandal.

Turning round 27-3 ahead, Richmond quickly increased their lead with tries by Head and Evans from lineouts, but unfortunately Flynn, who had not played for six weeks, was below his best with the conversion kicks.

When Chris Whiteley scored a good try in the corner to crown a typical break by Flynn, Richmond took the opportunity to introduce their replacements and under the generous regulations for this competition, five new faces appeared.

One of these, prop Dominic Little, wasted no time and with his first touch of the ball seemed to have scored, though he was adjudged not to have grounded the ball. But when the play moved to the left, Mike McSweeney, now operating at full back, made enough space for another fresh man, Andy Beacham, to crash over in the corner.

University Vandals were now under enormous pressure and Richmond again passed the 50 mark with a try by the irresistible Head in the dying minutes.

Richmond: Harrison (Beacham), McSweeney, Quigley (Kothakota), Taylor, Whiteley, Flynn, Woods, Lodder (Little), Cuthbert (c) (Neal), Allhusen, Hull, Head, Phillips, Draper (Bolton), Evans.