This clash between the top and bottom sides of the league produced
a great game of rugby, with Hitchin never behind on points until the 75th
minute. Scoring three tries to Verulamians’ two, penalties accounted for the
end result.
Hitchin started well and put together some good attacking
phases, and had a try disallowed due to a knock on. They continued to put
pressure
on the Verulamians’ line, until V’s were
awarded a scrum on 5 m and cleared play to halfway
10 minutes into the game, Hitchin’s player of the match Rhys Gregory
broke away on the left flank to run in a
try, converted by Ben Wiggins against
the wind
As the first quarter of the match drew to a close Hitchin ,
enjoying most of the territory, won a lineout 10m from the goal line, which led
to a second try from flanker Joe Barnes,
this time unconverted
The visitors
came back strongly, but Hitchin’s defence held out, although once again giving
away too many
penalties
at the breakdowns.
Hitchin
were given a yellow card on 26 minutes but they managed to keep their defence
secure with a man
short, and after
35 minutes a promising Hitchin attack broke down in the V’s 22 and play returned
to halfway. The 12 point lead had looked safe, but the outstanding V’s fly half
broke down the right flank, and a lack of concentration allowed him to run in
under the posts to make the conversion a certainty Halftime 12 -7
With Hitchin kicking of the second half, it was V’s who upped
their game , keeping more of the possession, and after 10 minutes running from
deep in their own half, were awarded penalty to reduce the margin to just two points,
the ball bouncing in off the post
But from the kickoff Hitchin got back into V’s 22 and themselves
awarded a penalty, found touch near the V’s line. From the resulting lineout they
drove to the goal line, Tony Williams being credited with a try as the maul collapsed
on the line. Although the conversion failed, a 7 point lead was restored at 17-10
But after 30 minutes V’s came back with a break through
the middle to score under the posts to draw level
A tussle
on the touchline as V’s launched an attack
in their own half, resulted in the
referee issuing a yellow card to V’s and , questionably, two yellow cards to
Hitchin
5
minutes later V’s converted a penalty
from 20 m to take the lead for the first time in the match .
Hitchin
found themselves being penalised too often , possibly unfairly on at least one occasion,
but it was they who benefited from a penalty, converted by Alfie Burkett from 28m, to draw level again at 20
-20
As the
game drew to a close, with Verulamians
putting together several attacking moves , another penalty was conceded to give them
a last minute victory by the 3 points
This
was possibly the the Hedgehogs’ best performance
of thre
season ,and certainly a huge improvement
,after the game at St Albans the previous week.
Team Sean McGinnity, Thomas Tidey, James Akrill, Ryan Arbon, Max Stallard, Anthony Williams, Joe Barnes, James Bolter, Rhys Gregory, Ben Wiggins, Charles Wood-Jones, Carwyn Morgan, Alfie Burkett, Jake Ware, Elliot Gibson
Subs Harry Elleston, Samuel Underwood, Ross Merrilees, Adam Shaw, Mark Tidey, Mark Hoffman
Scores T: Joe Barnes (1), Rhys Gregory (1), Anthony Williams (1)
C: Ben Wiggins (1)
P: Alfie Burkett (1)
Player(s) of Match 1. Rhys Gregory, 2. Thomas Tidey, 3. Ben Wiggins
The league: London North West 3