Herts/Middlesex 1 21st February 2015

Cheshunt leapfrogged their guests with a controlled performance in which they dominated territory and possession, but, an excellent defensive effort from the visitors kept the score line to a modest 11 point gap.
Barnet had the better start and Cheshunt were not able to get out of their half for the first five minutes, but when back row forwards Alex Clark and Joel Bailey interchanged passes, they were soon in the Barnet twenty two. The visitors gave away a penalty at the breakdown, when they slowed the ball down and Reece Shoobridge put C’s on the board after 8 minutes.
Fullback Jonno Wicks instigated the next attack when he countered from deep, again Clark supported and Cheshunt camped in the Barnet twenty two. Cheshunt wasted a couple of opportunities to stretch the lead, following a penalty a quick tap was dropped just metres from the line and the visitors cleared, back came Cheshunt and had a chance with an attacking lineout close to the line, but the throw was deemed not to be straight and again Barnet were let off the hook.
Although the Green and Whites remained in the Barnet half for most of the first period, they were unable to add to their score before the break.
Early in the second half they scored the try that they had been threatening and deserved. From scrum ball on halfway, Tom Claridge seared through a gap in the line, up to the twenty two he found Clark in support, quick hands through Bailey, the ball was given to Marvin Brown who finished from short range, Shoobridge added the conversion to take the lead to 10-0.
C’s were soon back threatening, after Declan Walker put pressure on his winger, Alan Thorne hacked the loose ball to within a metre of the line and Barnet were forced to concede a 5 metre scrum. Just when it looked like the Cheshunt pack would walk over the whitewash, the ball was pinched out the back of the scrum and Barnet cleared. Straight back came Cheshunt and another penalty from Shoobridge extended the advantage to 13-0.
Barnet had a couple of forays into the Cheshunt twenty two, for the first time in the game, and when they won a lineout, 12 metres out, they organised a drive that got the over the line in the corner to give their supporters hope of a dramatic come back with 20 minutes left on the clock.
The home side though controlled the remainder of the match and looked to add to their score, Dan Saunders collected a Shoobridge chip ahead and took the ball deep in the Barnet half, and another penalty at the breakdown was converted by Shoobridge to take the difference to 11 points.
They nearly added to their total from the re-start, after the kick didn’t go 10, Bailey picked from the back of the scrum, again supported by Clark, the ball found its way to Saunders via Lewis Daymon and C’s were just stopped short. Clark then thought he had scored the try that he deserved, a quickly taken lineout saw him go over in the corner, but the referee signalled for the throw to be re-taken.
Cheshunt have another home game next Saturday, when they welcome the Bank of England to Andrew Lane.