1st Team v Bank of England Rugby Club - Away League on 20 Feb 2010

Bank of England  24   Hitchin  14

"There are any number of excuses we can use for this result from availability issues, the muddy pitch, even the journey down to South London, but at the end of the day the whole squad have to accept we just did not 'turn up' for this game.  That was the summation of Hitchins' defeat on Saturday by head coach David Marshall.

The game started brightly enough with both side trying to open the game up but it was the Bank of England who took their chances.  Their first score came from a peel at the back of a 5m lineout which was easily converted.  Hitchin took the game straight back to BofE but poor handling and even worse decision making let them down time and again.  BofE came back on the attack and with a ruck in midfield the Hitchin defence somehow seemed to miss the growing overlap out to the right.  Quick ball was played from the base and BofE swept over the line to make the score 14 - 0.  Again Hitchin attacked and again they failed to make the opportunities count.  Whilst at the other end BofE swept through the lineout a second time to score and bring the half time score to 19 - 0.

The second half began with Hitchin beginning to show some of their earlier seasons form and within 15 minutes continuous pressure in the scrum and disruptive counter measures from the Bof E pack left the referee with no option but to award Hitchin a penalty try.  The Jack Peachey conversion added the 2 extra points.  Hitchin continues the rest of the half pressurising the BofE defence but once again poor passing let the young  guns down.  Halfway through the half one of the many poor deliveries lead to a breakaway try for BofE effectively finishing the game off.  Hitchin have been renown this season for their late comebacks and when Carwyn Morgan danced over the line, under the posts, thoughts of a late rally were ignited once again.  However it was not to be, BofE shut the game down very well and took the league points.

"After lasts weeks tremendous performance against table topping Old Streetonians when we were very unlucky not to get the win, this performance was very disappointing"  said Marshall "we still have promotion firmly in our sights this hiccup has just made the situation a little more precarious.  We need to get back to some serious work through the week and get a win at Old Hamptonians on Saturday.  Looking back is not going to help, no one did anything that wrong on Saturday we just did not do things very well!
 




Team Dave Archer, Marcus Moore, Richard Stidolph, Nick Panton, Philip Hobbs, James Drury, Karl Brooks, Joe Benucci, Rob Willis, Jack Peachey, James Larman, Rob Willoughby, Vincent Kevans, Chris Betts, Carwyn Morgan

Subs Michael Starling, Richard Gregg

Scores