Herts/Middlesex 1 20/12/14

Cheshunt bounced back to winning ways on Saturday, with a tremendous performance up the A10, away at Royston. Kicking against the stiff breeze in the first half, Cheshunt again had to deal with losing a forward in the opening minutes to injury, Ollie Martines having to retire with a twisted ankle, but the pack were still able to construct a solid platform and supply plenty of good possession for the exciting back division to express themselves. Cheshunt’s first attack came when scrum half Louis Mulholland caught his opposite number in possession, after the forwards had disrupted a Royston scrum, the back row were quick to secure the ball, then crisp passing along the backs set Dave Lever free down the left wing, a fantastic covering tackle in the corner stopped the attack momentarily, but Cheshunt stayed closed to the line after the home side conceded penalties at the break down. A quick tap and the forward rumbled close to the line and Johnno Wicks was quick to realise there was some space down the blind side, Mulholland’s pass found him at full speed and he dived over in the corner for an early 0-5 lead. Royston used the breeze to kick down field, but the Cheshunt backline always looked dangerous and were happy to attack from deep and when Mulholland and Wicks combined again in open play, it nearly led to another score, this time Wicks was just beaten to the ball when he chipped ahead. The home side again used the elements to get into the Cheshunt half and forced a scrum in the C’s 22, Number 8 Joel Bailey, picked and went blind. On a rampaging run he brushed off tacklers and sold dummies as he worked his way from one 22, to the other, but, this time the move broke down when Cheshunt infringed at the breakdown. Again the home side booted the ball into the Cheshunt 22 and they enjoyed their best period of the match until Scott Glynn was quick to recognise slow ball, he was up on the attacking line quickly and intercepted 18 yards from his own line and with support from Dan Saunders they got Cheshunt back into the Royston half. A difficult penalty attempt from Wicks unluckily hit the post, but Jake Phillips secured the bouncing ball and Cheshunt remained in the Royston danger zone. From a scrum, they were able to set Lever free again down the left wing, this time he evaded the covering tackle and went over in the corner, Wick’s conversion hit the same post as he had done minutes earlier, but Cheshunt were happy with a 0-10 advantage at the break. Within 5 minutes of the re-start, Royston had halved the deficit, a successful catch and drive from a lineout, 10 yards out, saw them get over the line, but Cheshunt were in the ascendancy and were in no mood to surrender a winning position. Most of the remainder of the game was played in the Royston half and only spirited defence from the home side kept the rampant Cheshunt backs in check, it wasn’t long before C’s were back on the board, Bailey collected a 22 drop out, he found Glynn tearing down the right wing, another tremendous tackle stopped him just short, but he was able to offload to Alex Clark to extend the lead, with the extras from Wicks, Cheshunt had stretched to 5-17. Fielding four under 20’s in the backline, gave Cheshunt the energy they needed, against a physical Royston team, always difficult to beat at home, and C’s began to play some entertaining rugby. Both sides competed at the breakdown; but, Aydan Duligall more often than not, was first on the scene and turned over Royston ball. Cheshunt enjoyed the scrum, Royston may have had the edge at the lineouts, but it was the exciting backline that pleased the travelling Cheshunt supporters. Half backs Mulholland and Wicks gave centres Claridge and Glynn the chance to run at the Royston defence, out wide Lever and Connor Latour always looked threatening and from full back the experienced Saunders was able to pick and choose his running lines as he pleased. When they had to defend, they knocked the opposite numbers back and with the aid of the back row, won back ball. Bailey got the try he deserved and secured the try bonus point when the pack pushed over from short range and Cheshunt were determined to run everything in the last 10 minutes. From the 22, Bailey, Duligall and Clark combined to get over half way, prop Tony Short took play up to the 22 with a barnstorming run and only a Royston offside stopped the move. It was only a brief reprieve, Cheshunt stayed in the 22 until Bailey picked from yet another clean scrum ball, and he fed Mulholland who in turn found Claridge, cutting back through, his try signalled the final whistle and another welcome bonus point win on the road. On the 3rd January, Cheshunt entertain Canvey Island at Andrews Lane in round 3 on the RFU Junior Vase, the following week, they remain at home with a league match against Verulamians.

Martines, Phillips, Short, Brown, Angell, Wilcocks, Duligall, Bailey, Mulholland, Wicks, Lever, Claridge, Glynn, Latour, Saunders. _ Replacements – Bagley, Clark, Amani