Herts/Middlesex 1 12/12/2015

Another strong second half performance saw Cheshunt leave Hillingdon with another bonus point victory, maintaining their third position in Herts/Middlesex 1. Against the strong wind in the first period Cheshunt had to defend resolutely at times, free scoring Hillingdon were keen to keep to their average of over 32 points a game. However, despite battling against the elements Cheshunt created the better chances, whilst they couldn’t get over the try line, they were still happy to change ends at the break with a slender advantage. An early penalty from a lineout on halfway gave C’s the chance to raise their first attack, a quick tap and scrum half Reece Shoobridge set his forwards running into the Hillingdon defence. They worked up to the 22 and the home side transgressed again, another the quick tap kept the home side on the back foot as forwards and backs kept marching towards the posts, when Hillingdon gave away yet another penalty, this time directly under the posts, C’s took an early lead with Shoobridge’s penalty. Hillingdon used the strong wind to kick deep into the Cheshunt half and a knock on just outside the 22 gave them an attacking scrum. C’s were penalised at the set piece but the Hillingdon kicker pulled his kick to the left, unable to get out of their own half the visitors soon gave him another chance and from 30 yards out, the scores were level after 15 minutes. Cheshunt continued to play controlled rugby into the wind and came close to the line on a couple of occasions, Alex Clark, Conner Pearce and Joel Bailey all making hard yards up the pitch, but as soon as C’s lost possession found themselves back deep in their own half, with some long kicks out of defence. On the odd occasion when the home side decided to run the ball, Aydan Duligall and Mike Henderson were quick to stop most attacks at source, a little wider and Tom Claridge and Omid Amani controlled the mid-field. The home side saw a couple of long range penalties miss the target, one from 5 yards inside their own half, but that was as close as they got in the rest of the first period. Cheshunt had little option but to keep the ball in hand whenever they had a penalty and they were soon up to the 22 again when they earnt another decision at the scrum, a lineout catch and drive took them to within metres, but maintained possession until another penalty right under the posts enabled Shoobridge to double their score just before the break. The front row of Ryan Hussey, Oliver Martines and Dave Angel, as always, ruled the set piece, the addition of Billy Roberts added some more go forward ball in the loose and Cheshunt looked to cut loose in the second half. The first attack came after Johno Wicks had kicked down to the Hillingdon 22, unable to clear his lines the defender was held up and the Cheshunt scrum won a quick ball which gave number eight Bailey the chance to attack, Shoobridge and Clark combined to set the forwards mauling towards the line, but C’s were denied again as the ball was held up over the whitewash. They kept possession and from another scrum and after a couple of phases, ball along the line found its way to Amani who brushed aside the would be tackle to score near the posts, with the extras, C’s led 3-13, just 5 minutes into the second half. They were soon out of sight with a lovely try, ball off the top from a lineout gave the backs a chance to run on the wide pitch, Claridge and Amani pulled the defence in with dummy runs and Wicks long pass found Dan Saunders joining in from full back, he fed flying wing David Anthony who rounded his man and drove through the last defender to get over in the corner. Skipper Tom Claridge was yellow carded for a high tackle, but the numbers were soon even when another kick down field was eagerly pursued by Anthony, he soon was level with his man despite conceding a 15 metre start and all the defending left winger could do, to save his side going further behind was obstruct Anthony. The referee showed some leniency by only showing a yellow and C’s kicked to the corner from the resulting penalty, they remained in the 22 and when wingers Dave Lever and Anthony combined they were nearly over, the stubborn Hillingdon defence finally cracked when Bailey was able to force his way over under the posts, another conversion from Shoobridge stretched the lead to 3-25 with 12 minutes left for Cheshunt to find the bonus point try. However it was the home side who struck next, taking a leaf from the Cheshunt book, they kept possession against the wind with some controlled mauling and were able to drive over in the corner. With the clock quickly running down, the Green and Whites desperately threw everything at Hillingdon in the last few minutes and camped inside the 22, last play was indicated at a scrum 20 metres out. The pack again provided a quick clean heel, fly half Wicks gave a perfect pass to Lever who took the ball at full pace, unstoppable from 20 metres, he found his way to the line to earn C’s the all-important bonus point and completed the scoring at 8-30. Next Saturday, Cheshunt complete the first half of the season when they welcome London French to Andrews Lane for the first time.
Hussey, Martines, Angell, Pearce, Clark, Henderson, Duligall, Bailey, Shoobridge, Wicks, Lever, Claridge, Amani, Saunders, Bolton. Replacements – Roberts, Hounslow, Anthony.