Herts/Middlesex 1 16/04/2016

Cheshunt just about got over the line on Saturday to clinch second spot and gain promotion back into the London leagues. Their astonishing 18 game unbeaten league run stretches back to early October, when they got their league campaign up and running with a thrilling victory at London Welsh. Only needing a single point, it looked for long periods of the game that they would need to settle for a losing bonus point, although enough to secure second spot, it would have been an unsatisfactory result. However, they kept pressing and were finally rewarded when the referee had seen enough infringing at the driving maul, when two more players became offside, as the Green and White pack drove towards the line, he went under the posts for the important penalty try decision. The game started well for Cheshunt, with the slight breeze on their backs, they were soon in the French 22, one of several early knock-ons ended the move, but Cheshunt remained the dominant team, winning nearly all the set piece ball, but neither side were able to string together any long sequence of phases, handling errors on both teams often coughed the ball up. It was the French who took the lead against the run of play, an attempted grubber kick through bounced against the shins of the home team’s fly half, he hacked ahead twice and just won the race to touch down in the corner after 11 minutes. C’s nearly hit straight back, a penalty was kicked down the line, Joel Bailey peeled of the back of the maul but was adjudged to have a foot in touch as he grounded the ball. The visitors remained in the 22 and David Lever cut through the middle, stopped just short, quick ball was re-cycled and full back Geoff Hayden joined the line to create some space for Richard Valentine to dive over in the corner to level the scores after 15 minutes. The French fly half slotted a simple penalty 5 minutes later and then Cheshunt spent a frustrating last 20 minutes of the half in the French 22, but were unable to add to their total. Complete dominance at the set piece provided ample ball, but handling errors and ferocious French defending kept them out, they did manage to get the ball over the line, but Bailey was denied again as the referee was unsighted and deemed the ball to be held up. In the second half the home side were content to put boot to ball and let the breeze carry the ball deep into the Cheshunt half and they soon added to their total with a converted try when they exposed a gap in the defensive line. Cheshunt again spent long periods in the French danger zone, before they were able to reduce the deficit, frustrated at driving mauls being defended by offside or being brought to ground, it became difficult to break down a well organised defence, until the same move that bought their first try worked again, Lever accepting Tom Claridge’s pass and tore through the middle, this time he was unhindered and scored close to the posts, James Lennon added the extras and C’s had pulled back to 15-12. The French didn’t look particularly dangerous when in the Cheshunt half, the fly half had missed a drop goal attempt, then a penalty, but generous Cheshunt gave him another chance and from the 22, he doubled the advantage to 6 points at 18 -12, with 25 minutes left on the clock. Most of the remainder of the game was played in the French half and opportunities came and went, balls were dropped, overlaps were missed and just when it looked like Lennon was through, another fantastic French tackle put him into touch. Bailey got the ball over the line for the third time and was denied again by the referee and it was beginning to look like the French would hold on to an unlikely victory, until another lineout opportunity came their way. Jake Phillips found his man, the Cheshunt pack surged towards the line and finally the referee marched under the posts, Lennon kicked the extra two to take victory by a single point and signal the final whistle. The team were nursing some injuries after losing a bruising cup semi-final on Wednesday against Verulamians; Lennon had given them an 8 point lead with a penalty and a try in the corner, before V’s kicker pulled back 3 points. Dale Gardener finished off a move that Connor Pearce had instigated with a storming run down the pitch and just before the break C’s had built up a 15-3 advantage. However the excellent V’s kicker slotted two penalties before the whistle and two more in the first twenty minutes of the second half to draw level. A string of injuries left the depleted Cheshunt back line in tatters and V’s ended the game on top. A try in the corner, followed by another penalty saw them stretch away and as Cheshunt desperately tried to find some points from deep in their own half, mistakes saw V’s cross the line twice more before the final whistle. In the last league game of the season, Cheshunt play host to champions Kilburn Cosmos on Saturday at Rosedale, although the league positions can’t be altered, both teams will want to end the season on a high before meeting next time in London 3.