HITCHIN RUGBY ACADEMY VICTORIOUS IN LOCAL DERBY
Letchworth U18s 0 Hitchin Rugby Academy 65
Last Sunday Hitchin Hedgehogs Rugby Academy travelled down the road to Letchworth RFC where their u18 sides would battle for a place in the Hertfordshire County Plate competition.
The first few exchanges of the match saw Letchworth unsettle Hitchin with a powerful scrum and a determined defensive line. However, after regaining some composure, the Hedgehogs began to string some well executed back line moves together that culminated in two scores in almost as many minutes for centre Simon Taylor and wing Robert Austin. The confident and encouraging start meant Hitchin would sustain high levels of pressure on the Letchworth defence for the next twenty minutes. Possibly the biggest influence made to the Hitchin attack would be the incisive running lines by Captain and prop, Ellis Lockyer, who scored a try after a number of phases of play. The second try for Simon Taylor came after he cut through a drifting Letchworth defence to bowl over just outside the fifteen metre line. Hooker Peter Stanbury was given the kicking duties and on a poor pitch with whirling winds, managed to convert one of the tries from out wide. Letchworth produced a strong counter attack toward the end of the half led by line breaking runs from fly half Ash Mitchell and inside centre Guy Palmer.
Letchworth began the second half well by putting Hitchin under some pressure, but the Hitchin defensive line kept them at bay. Captain Ellis Lockyer maintained his “hard lines” in the second forty minutes and the pack rucked well allowing quick ball for wingers Harry Murtagh and Jake Brooker. Centre Simon Taylor scored his third of four tries after a battering run by flanker Ruiri Shanahan. Eventually, Hitchin managed to find the same consistency in play that they used so well in the first half. The Hedgehogs proved difficult to stop and surges from prop Brandon Whates, lock Daniel Grainger, fly half Harry Cartwright and one from scrum half Daniel Wiggins resulted in a final try and play of the game for Favour Maduka rounding off a satisfying Hitchin display.
The game finished a 0-65 win for Hitchin who progress to the next round.
By Dan Wiggins
Team Ellis Lockyer, Peter Stanbury, Harry u18s Murphy, Daniel Grainger, Brandon Whates, Tom Fry, William Smith, Joshua Stallard, Daniel Wiggins, Harry Cartwright, Robert Austin, Simon Taylor, Favour Maduka, Ruiri Shanahan, Bailey Burton
Subs Calum Dow, Jake Brooker, James Taylor, Jim Panter, Alan Shanahan
Scores T: Simon Taylor (4), Robert Austin (2), Favour Maduka (1), Ruiri Shanahan (1), William Smith (1), Ellis Lockyer (1), Harry Cartwright (1)
C: Peter Stanbury (3), Ruiri Shanahan (2)