Herts/Middlesex 1 19/03/2016

Cheshunt stretched their unbeaten run to 14 games with a bonus point victory at The Bank of England, and in the process strengthened their promotion challenge, as they and Kilburn have started to pull clear of the chasing pack. Attacking from the whistle they spent the opening minutes camped in the Bank 22, but the first of several handling errors allowed the home side to clear. Cheshunt remained in the opposition half and when Connor Pearce initiated a turnover, they were soon hammering away at the Bank try line again, this time they kept possession until Ben Hounslow forced his way over from short range after just 8 minutes.

Winning a ball against the head, by the increasingly dominant C’s scrum, gave the visitors another chance to attack, Pearce from No. 8 took the ball forward, but another spilt ball halted the attack and Bank were able to get into the Cheshunt half for the first time, a simple penalty from 35 yards out, put them on the board after 15 minutes.

Despite losing influential front row forward Gregg Morris after 20 minutes to injury, the Cheshunt forwards continued to supply plenty of ball from both scrum and lineout, Marvin Brown, Jake Phillips and Ryan Hussey dominated the scrum, Josh Willcocks and Pearce ruled the lineout and in the loose Alex Clark and Aydan Duligall stopped most Bank attacks at source, Ben Hounslow was always on hand to take the ball and drive into the Bank defences.

Cheshunt saw a long range penalty attempt from Reece Shoobridge sail wide, but most of the game remained in the Bank half and only a series of handling errors kept Cheshunt from putting the game out of sight by half time. There was still time on the clock to get over the line again before the break and Scott Drew thundered into the 22, Bank conceded penalties close to the line and from a re-set scrum on the fourth attempt, the pack drove over and Pearce touched down, Shoobridge added the extras to send the visitors into the break with a 3-12 advantage.

The Bank defence remained competitive throughout the game, halfbacks Lewis Daymon and Shoobridge tried to get the back line moving, Tom Claridge and Drew in the centre looked threatening and Bobby Bolton from full back invariable beat the first man when fielding kicks or joining the line, but Cheshunt will be disappointed not to get more ball to flying wingers Dale Gardener and Dave Lever, for most of the afternoon they remained spectators.

Cheshunt started the second period as they had the first, with an early try, too many times had the Bank defence now slowed the ball illegally and the fly half was the first to see yellow after just 5 minutes, Drew, Hussey and Phillips took the ball closer to the line, Bolton then made the telling break and fed Duligall to touch down near the corner to stretch to 3 – 17.

Cheshunt tried to play an expansive game and instead of looking for field position from the re-start, they got caught in their 22 and Bank enjoyed some time near the Cheshunt line, C’s were happy to see the ball find its way to Bolton who got the visitors back to half way. The Green and Whites were soon back in the Bank 22 after a couple of penalties had seen them kick down the line. Once again the home side were reduced to 14 men when they were guilty of transgressing at the breakdown, more penalties followed and playing penalty advantage from another lineout, the ball was spun out to the backs, Lever had picked a nice line through the middle and he tore through the gap and took the fullback over the line with him to score under the posts, Shoobridge’s conversion of the bonus point try put the visitors out of sight at 3 -24.

Richard Valentine and Mike Henderson had joined the fray and Cheshunt looked to increase their points difference, a quick tap from Shoobridge was fed to Bolton, he beat the first two defenders but was tackled into touch just short. Bank then surprised the visitors with their best move of the match, the ball was carelessly given away by Cheshunt and Bank countered from deep within their own half, they put the ball through hands and kept possession until they got over near the posts. Disappointingly, Cheshunt then conceded again with the last move of the match, Bank desperate to keep the ball alive and secure a losing bonus point did so with another try under the posts, the conversion signalling the final whistle.

Top placed Kilburn also won on the road at third placed London Welsh, who drop to fourth, as Herts rivals Verulamiums move into the top three for the first time this season, they remain 9 points behind Cheshunt, having played a game more.

On Easter Saturday Cheshunt visit Barnet Elizabethans, playing a match that was called off from earlier in the season, hoping to reduce the 12 point deficit that Kilburn hold over the Rosedale outfit, the following week they host Hillingdon Abbots at Andrews Lane.