Herts/Middlesex 1. 10/10/2015

Cheshunt turned in their best performance of the season so far, with victory away at previously undefeated London Welsh, knocking them off the top of the table. The early stages of the game didn’t suggest it was going to be Cheshunt’s day, they easily turned ball over and were often penalised at the breakdown. They attacked from the kick off and they were soon in the Welsh 22, they knocked on in open play but won the ball back at the scrum, an area in which they dominated all afternoon, however another knock on over the line, gave the home side the chance to clear from a 22 drop out. Charlie Porter fielded the ball deep in his own half and spotted space behind the advancing red shirts, his nicely weighted kick was seized on by Aydan Duligall, but Cheshunt were turned over again and when the Welsh were back in the Cheshunt half, the visitors were disappointed to be penalised at the breakdown and from the 10 yard line, the home side opened the scoring after 9 minutes. Play went from end to end, Tom Claridge forced a turnover with a choke tackle and Johno Wicks threaded a kick down the touchline to within 15 metres, but another chance went begging and again the Welsh cleared into Cheshunt territory. The front row of Oliver Martines, Jake Phillips and Ryan Hussey were winning half of the Welsh put ins at the scrums and after taking another, just outside their 22, C’s should have cleared, but managed to conceded another penalty, which was converted at the second attempt, 6-0. This seemed to ignite Cheshunt, from the re-start they stormed into the Welsh 22, Connor Pearce instrumental in getting play close to the line, another knock on gave the home side a brief moment to clear, but Cheshunt won the ball at the lineout, Pearce again hauled defenders towards the line and the Cheshunt pack drove Alex Clark over, Reece Shoobridge added the extras to give C’s a one point advantage after 25 minutes. The lead didn’t last long, as soon as the home side were back in kickable range, another penalty, for not rolling away, gave the Welsh another shot at goal, but Shoobridge quickly replied with a finely struck penalty to keep C’s just in front. Just before the break London Welsh had a spell close to the Cheshunt line, and the defence was tested when they ran a couple of close range penalties, indiscipline from the Welsh scrum half cost them a chance to attack again when he raised his elbow into Porter’s face and Cheshunt were relieved to clear down field and enjoy the narrowest of margins, 9-10 at the break. Penalty kicks were exchanged early in the second period, to maintain the slim margin and the game continued to entertain, both sides stringing together some exciting phases, the Welsh fly half in particular impressing, putting players into space or judging his kicks to perfection, to work Welsh up the field. When the home side attacked again, Porter was on hand to take a mark inside his 22, the clearance kick took them to half way and Cheshunt nicked a lineout against the throw, after a couple of phases Josh Willcocks noticed some space down the right, his nicely weighted pass found Pearce at full pace on the 10 metre line who brushed aside the first tackler and raced to the line, taking the last defender over the whitewash with him, an excellent touchline conversion from Shoobridge took the advantage to 12-20 with 20 minutes on the clock. London Welsh soon responded and within 5 minutes crossed the line for the first time, keeping possession and working across the pitch they spread the Cheshunt defence, then quick hands and the ball was worked into the left wingers arms who finished well from 15 metres out, reducing the advantage to 3 points. The front row continued to dominate, Aaron Hussey joining his brother to help secure more ball against the head, Duligall and Mike Henderson stopped most Welsh attacks at source, and when the ball was spread wide, centres Claridge and Bobby Bolton ruled the midfield. Porter, Dave Lever and Richard Valentine didn’t allow them around the outside. Cheshunt were aware that the Welsh kicker was capable of levelling the scores from anywhere inside the Cheshunt half and they were careful not to concede any more penalties within range, indeed they spent most of the remainder of the game inside the Welsh half and should have finished it off with 5 minutes to go, a dropped ball the 22, with the line begging was soon forgotten as once again Cheshunt won the ball back at the scrum, the forwards drove towards the line, but just yards out were penalised for not releasing. The Green and Whites were determined to stay in the danger zone and the had a line out 35 yards out, with just a minute on the clock, a successful catch was then organised by Clark, into a drive that took the pack to within 5 yards, the maul was pulled to the floor but Shoobridge was quick to find debutant Bolton who drove through the last defender and touched down in the corner, another long range conversion signalled the final whistle and gave their C’s best result on the road for a considerable time. A gap in the league fixtures next week gives Cheshunt time to prepare for their next home game against Royston on the 24th October.
Team: Martines, Phillips, Hussey (R), Willcocks, Clark, Henderson, Duligall, Pearce, Shoobridge, Wicks, Lever, Claridge, Bolton, Porter, Valentine. Replacements:- Hussey (A), Langford, Walker.