Herts/Middlesex 1. 11/10/14

With a very committed defensive effort from both teams, chances were limited and Cheshunt were made to work hard for a victory that lifts them into fifth position in the table.
Neither side were able to construct very much at all in the opening quarter, Haringey had the better of possession, but the Cheshunt defence kept them pinned in their own half, until a penalty at the break down, enabled the visitors to kick down the line and into the Cheshunt 22.

The home side soon won the ball back and kept possession through many phases to mount their first threat to the Haringey line, Dave Lever and Alan Thorn both driving close to the whitewash and when Haringey were lying on the wrong side, C’s though they might get ahead, however, the referee reversed his decision when Lewis Daymon was guilty of trying to persuade the transgressor to move Up the slope,
Haringey were unable to get out of their 22 and concerted pressure on the try line was finally rewarded when Omid Amani took a crash ball close to the ruck and powered over from short range, 5-0 after 21 minutes. Haringey missed a pot at goal after 25 minutes, but opportunities were thin on the ground and Cheshunt weren’t able to extend their lead until the last move before the break. Cheshunt were enjoying supremacy in the set piece and on several occasions the Haringey front row had conceded penalties,

Tony Short, Jake Phillips and Charlie Bagley piled on the pressure at the scrum and a series of scrums and penalties on the Haringey line, looked like it might go unrewarded, until number 8, Joel Bailey picked up a few yards short and drove over between the posts, debutant Johno Wicks (on for an early injury to Dan Saunders) converted to put C’s 12-0 up at the half time whistle.

Wicks relished his role at fly half, moving the Haringey pack around with some neat tactical kicking and then setting the backs free with clean, crisp passing. It was his long kick, up the hill, early in the second half, which put the visitors back three under pressure, a wayward clearance kick was collected by Thorn just outside the 22 and most of the Haringey pack had remained off side, the subsequent penalty was just pushed wide, but C’s were bossing the game and remained in the Haringey 22 for long periods.

When C’s finally gave the ball away, Haringey had their best period of the match, with some momentum down the slope; they battered away at the Cheshunt line. Despite giving away a couple of penalties the defence held firm, Thorn joined by Tom Claridge in the centre, kept their backs under control and the forwards continued to have the upper hand at the scrum, in the loose Mike Henderson and Alex Clark tackled everything that moved and when the Green and Whites won the ball back, Wicks coolly kicked them back up the hill and back into the Haringey half.

Thunder, lightning and a heavy hail storm failed to dampen the Cheshunt enthusiasm for a tackle and they controlled the remainder of the match. Haringey were unable to offer any attack that might break down the Cheshunt defence and they resorted to long hopeful kicks in the poor conditions. They were all fielded safely and when one was taken on the 10 yard line, Thorn recognised the chance to attack, his long pass found Lever, who cut inside his marker, although tackled by the Haringey man of the match full back, he had Wicks in support and from 25 yards out he sprinted to the line for a debut try, which capped an exceptional performance. The conversion was charged down, but that kick signalled the final whistle and Cheshunt will be delighted with both the victory and the clean sheet.

Cheshunt have a difficult away game at Feltham next week, and then welcome Millhillians the following week to Rosedale.

Picture courtesy of Herts Mercury, report here :

Short, Phillips, Bagley, Hounslow, Pearce, Clark, Henderson, Bailey, Daymon, Claridge, Lever, Thorn, Amani, Valentine, Saunders. Replacements – Martines, Angell, Wicks.