AMERSHAM & Chiltern RFC were within a try of the upset of the season after their best performance of the year pushed London Irish Wild Geese all the way in National League 3 South West.

They eventually went down 29-23 against the team top of the table at kick-off, but the match highlighted the potential within the squad.

Coach Alun Rise said: “We’ve had some good halves, but that wasn’t far off our best performance.

“For an 80-minute performances, that was right up there and it could have been a massive upset.

“We had a very good crack at them and I think they were surprised by our attitude and performance.

“They were thinking it was going to be a walkover.”

Tim Lloyd’s try plus five points off the tee put Amersham 10-0 up after ten minutes, and although Irish surged back to lead 18-10 another Amersham penalty cut the gap to 18-13 at half time.

Rise said: “I think they thought we would crumble and fade away, but we didn’t.”

Lloyd crossed again to keep Amersham in the hunt and then, with just minutes left, captain Craig Webb went over to secure a bonus point.

Rise said: “What we need to do now is replicate this next week and the week after that.”

On Saturday they host bottom-of-table Maidenhead.