Jim Panter making the hard yards on Saturday
Hitchin took all the points on offer on Saturday against London Nigerians in a demonstration of committed rucking and sharp handling. The intensity that Hitchin brought onto the pitch left the visitors with very little ball and even less room to use it. The forwards with in fine form dominating both the set piece and the breakdown area whilst the backline were clinical in their handling and finishing.
Playing against the elements in the first half Hitchin weathered an early onslaught by the visitors, perhaps more to do with the prevailing wind rather than the quality of play. But have ridden out a torrid first ten minutes Hitchin began to get their hands on the ball more often and as they did they began to take control of the game. With 15 minutes of the match gone a series of fast rucks produced clean ball for the backline. The ball was swept along the line to Jack Peachey, taking up his new role at full back. Peachey broke the line and with a final dummy pass to winger Stevie Merritt cruised over the line untouched. Hitchin continued to press forward, however a wayward pass from one of the forwards let Nigerians in for a breakaway try. The pressure was soon put back on the visitors line and when winger James Larman hit the line, in a move straight from the training pitch, the defence was at full stretch. A final pass to centre Lewis Skittrall and a second try was scored. As confidence grew in the young Hitchin side the ball was being moved from all areas of the pitch. Lineout ball turned over in Hitchin 22m area was set up, with no.8 Jim Panter leading the charge for the hard yards close to the breakdown, the ball was moved forward in a series of fast clinical rucks. When space was available the play was moved out to fly half Jonno Allan who set the backline alight with fast feet and hands. Once again Peachey was into the line, drawing the defence and off loading to Larman. Larman received the ball on the half way line and kick through backing himself in the foot race for the ball. Collecting his own kick cleanly he crossed the line to score Hitchins third try of the half.
The second half began with a last ditch attempt from London Nigerians to get something from the game and some stout forward work produced an early try for the visitors. This however served only to galvanise the Hitchin resolve. First on the second half scoreboard was Peachey following a tremendous forward effort. This score was closely followed by a Larman second try, this one from close range following a strike against the head in the scrum. Panters tireless afternoons work was rewarded when he grabbed the ball to take a quick penalty close to the visitors line. Being held up just short his own forwards drove him the final metre over the line for his try. As the game moved into the final 10 minutes the visitors were struggling to keep pace with the game but Hitchin had not finished yet. A hat-trick try for Larman with only minutes left on the clock was followed by a Stevie Merritt try set up by the ever present Chris Betts at outside centre finished the days scoring.
Following the match a delighted Hitchin skipper Willie Corrigan said "It was a great performance by all the lads but perhaps one we should have been producing earlier in the season. The forwards cleared out the breakdown area very well and the backs used the ball well. We have been working hard over the last couple of weeks on the intensity of our play and now it is beginning to show results. The coaching team were pretty disappointed with last weeks result and when they took us through the video review of the match on Thursday we could see why. Hopefully they will be a little happier this week!"
Team Garry Baker, William Corrigan, Richard Stidolph, Nick Panton, Ryan Arbon, Simon Banner, Karl Brooks, Jim Panter, Carwyn Morgan, Jonathan Allan, Steve Merritt, Lewis Skittrall, Chris Betts, James Larman, Jack Peachey
Subs Pieter Frisch, James Bolter, Duane Brand
Scores T: James Larman (3), Jack Peachey (2), Steve Merritt (1), Lewis Skittrall (1), Jim Panter (1)
C: Jack Peachey (5)
The league: London North West 3