Herts/Middlesex 1 06/12/14

Despite an ever increasing injury list, Cheshunt performed heroically at Kilburn, to keep the league leaders in check for most of the afternoon, only a late couple of tries ensured Kilburn Cosmos maintained their unbeaten record. Cheshunt started the better, neither team able to find a way through some tremendous defensive work from both sides, until Dave lever instigated Cheshunt’s first real threat. He took the ball from inside his own half to 30 yards out and Connor Pearce was on hand to carry the attack deep into the Kilburn 22. Stopped 10 yards short, C’s remained in the danger zone with a series of scrums and lineouts until a spilt ball allowed Kilburn to clear. Cheshunt were soon back in the 22 and narrowly missed with a penalty attempt after 12 minutes. Cheshunt lost the influential Pearce with a knee injury and he was soon joined on the physio’s bench by Aydan Duligall, already a few forwards short, the Cheshunt pack knew they were in for a long afternoon and it wasn’t long before the home side began to dominate the set piece. Despite getting very little front foot ball, the visitors tore into the Kilburn line at every opportunity, driving them back in the tackle and turning Kilburn ball over, although most of the game now was being played in the Cheshunt half. Kilburn’s big forwards were supplying plenty of good ball for their backs, but Tom Claridge and Omid Amani in the centre had the midfield sown up and when needed, Connor Latour and Lever were quick to come in off their wings to make crunching tackles. Around the fringes, Ryan Hussey, Dave Angell and Joel Bailey cut attackers down, half backs Brad Ewings and Johnno Wicks always available to clear up and keep the home side at bay. The nearest the home side were to getting on the board in the first half was a catch and drive from a lineout 20 yards out, the Cheshunt forwards did enough to disrupt it and managed to finish the first period back up field in the Kilburn half, with neither side troubling the scorer before the half time whistle. Kilburn broke the deadlock early in the second period, play going from touchline to touchline, they retained possession throughout many phases and finally when Cheshunt ran out of defenders, they were able to cross in the corner for 5-0 lead. Despite the lack of clean ball, Cheshunt were getting back into the game and they were spending time in the Kilburn 22. Number 8 Bailey doing an excellent job at the back of the scrum picking up and driving forward, to set some sort of platform for the backs to run with, the home side struggling legally to cope with the hardworking forwards, Marvin Brown, Andy Mason and Tony Short all driving into contact and several penalties in the 22 kept them close to the line, looking for a decisive score. When the home side cleared, Dan Saunders and Richard Valentine were always able to return with the ball and Jordan Wade and Charlie Bagley worked hard in the loose to keep C’s in with a chance. Kilburn’s defence was tested and it had to work as hard as the Green and Whites had done for the first hour, but after a spell of ten minutes or so pinned back, they were able to get back down field and with just 12 minutes on the clock, they were awarded a penalty which they kicked to touch. The home side effectively made the game safe with a catch and drive from the lineout and another try in the left hand corner to double their advantage. The defensive duties hadn’t stopped for the visitors and they continued to scrap for every ball in the loose to try and register a score which might earn them a losing bonus point, unfortunately with the last play of the game, the Kilburn second row was able to power through to score near the posts, the converted try made the score line look more comfortable for the league’s highest scorers than perhaps Cheshunt deserved. Another challenge awaits Cheshunt with the arrival of third placed London Nigerians who are the visitors to Rosedale next week, they are on a run of 6 consecutive victories.

Short, Wade, Bagley, Mason, Brown, Duligall, Pearce, Bailey, Ewings, Wicks, Latour, Claridge, Amani, Lever, Saunders. Replacements – Hussey, Angell, Valentine.