Cheshunt 1st XV vs Twickenham

The green and whites started well, winning the ball back after the kick off and several phases kept them on the Twickenham 22, C’s gave the ball away with a poorly directed chip and the visitors were quick to get up field. They created the first scoring opportunity of the match, after a lineout on the 22 and some rolling mauls, they moved towards the posts and Cheshunt were penalised at the break down, but the kicker hooked the simple kick wide. The visitors remained camped in Cheshunt territory and thought they had created the first try, but were called back when the referee adjudged the influential fly half’s pass to be forward.

The home side responded and worked up field, but when Twickenham won the ball back 30 yards from their own line, they attacked from deep, enough space was created down the left wing for the No.8 to stretch his legs and race clear of the covering defence, he touched down in the corner to open the scoring after 19 minutes.

Wing forward Alan Thorne carried the ball near the line and again Cheshunt were able to spend long periods in the Twickenham half, but another turn over and the visitors thrived on the broken play, this time the No.6 raced up field, tremendous covering tackling by Dean Gardener and Jack Gutteridge kept them out and after another penalty attempt was pulled wide C’s were able to get out of their half.

The Cheshunt pack were beginning to dominate the set piece and when they were awarded a penalty a few yards out, they immediately opted for the scrum. They drove towards the line, interference from Twickenham saw the ball become loose and scrum half Brad Ewing reacted quickest and dived over to level the scores. Disappointingly, Twickenham were able to restore their 5 point advantage almost immediately, going through the phases deep in the Cheshunt half until they had created enough space on the right for the winger to squeeze in, at the break C’s trailed 5-10.

Twickenham had soon missed their third kickable penalty at the start of the second period and Cheshunt broke out, the referee missing a big knock on and Gardener quickly went from 22 to 22. Whilst C’s continued to set up some nice plays from the steady ball supplied by the forwards, the Twickenham backs ran some nice lines off the fly half, but were let down by some poor handling and from another scrum, Omid Amani surged through the middle, he found Joel Bailey in support and again the green and whites flooded into the 22, but were unable to get over the line.

Twickenham were quickly back down field, Cheshunt missed an opportunity to clear the ball and the visitors were able to cross the line, with a change of kicker, the successful conversion stretched the lead to 5-17 with 26 minutes left on the clock.
Cheshunt continued to dominate the scrum, pushing Twickenham off their own ball, Jason Batten and Dave Angell driving the Cheshunt forwards on, earning a penalty and Reece Shoobridge, kicked to the corner. A catch and drive could not get over the line and a penalty near the line was wasted when instead of taking the scrum, the penalty was tapped quickly and Twickenham had organised their defence. The visitors could not get out of their half and from another scrum, 35 yards out, Bailey picked and made 20 yards, re-cycled ball was fed along the line and Gardener crashed over, 10-17 with 13 minutes left.

Cheshunt were guilty of giving the ball away in contact, but Twickenham reciprocated with some dropped passes and neither side were able to maintain any long periods of possession until the last play of the match, Twickenham keeping the ball alive until the quick left winger cut back infield, support was on hand to get in under the posts for an easy conversion. It denied Cheshunt a deserved losing bonus point, but earned the try bonus point for the delighted visitors who, along with Old Priorians, remain undefeated at the top of the league.

If Cheshunt can carry this level of performance throughout the season, a top 4 finish is well within their grasp and they will hope to get back to winning ways when Wasps are the visitors to Andrews Lane next Saturday.

Martines, Girdlestone, Phillips, Batten, Angell, Thorne, Clark, Bailey, Ewing, Shoobridge, Gutteridge, Amani, Gardener, Lever, Hayden. Replacements – Short, Steyn, Donnelly.