League Win Over Wasps 27 - 5

Whilst it was a blessing that the rain held off, the pitch, despite the best efforts of the parents to clear the surface water, resembled a bog and unfortunately as a result much of the play was dictated by slips and spills.

Cheshunt’s first try came early in the first-half from a blind-side break by fly-half, Scott Glynn, from twenty metres out; a dummy pass created the gap and Scott was through and over the line, 5 - 0. After that play started to resemble trench warfare with both sides unleashing their big guns but neither side really gaining much ground or threatening the try-line at all. At full-back, Tap Tap was proving illusive on the counter-attack and was marshalling the back three very well against the Wasps kick game, but no scores.

Late in the half, from a penalty forty metres out, Wasps turned down a kick for touch and instead went early down the blind-side. A low kick over his head beat the Groin and the bounce was just right to allow the Wasps right wing to catch the ball without breaking stride, a clean run-in to the line, no one could get near him, it was a good score.

Five a-piece at half time and Cheshunt were still three tries short of the bonus point needed to take the League, and the pitch was now starting to look like a battlefield. Could Cheshunt find something extra in the second-half ?
Playing with the slope, Cheshunt secured turnover at the line-out following the kick-off, and pushed into the Wasps 22m area. A couple of phases and Cheshunt were within five metres, and the Crimson Chin had his hands on the ball. From that range Sean had to have a go and with his second-row partner, Big Rob Fairburn, by his side he was driven over for a fine score.
The line-out and scrum were being fairly contested with both sides stealing ball, but it was Cheshunt’s superiority in the loose and stronger defence overall that was giving Wasps little to work with. The Cheshunt third was a wonderful solo effort from Scott Glynn from forty metres out. A quick tap penalty and Scott broke two tackles before charging over the line, Cheshunt were starting to believe their dreams might come true.

The one that mattered, the one we all wanted, the bonus-point score, came from a five-metre penalty after Cheshunt had piled the pressure on with some strong breaks through midfield by centres Scott Drew and Alex Wistow. Mike Hendersen is a handful at the best of times but from short range he can be devastating. From a pre-set penalty move, Beef scattered the Wasps defence like a strike-ball hitting the pins in a ten-pin bowling alley, just awesome.

The icing on the cake came in the last ten minutes with a deserved score for inspirational captain and prop, Tom Cooper. A sweet inter-change of off-loads and pop-up’s and Coops was in under the posts; unbelievable work-rate from the forwards in those conditions and at that late stage of the game to set the score up. This time the conversion was landed by Scott Glynn (1 from 4).

Cheshunt were elated at the final whistle.

With so many great performances throughout the team it is almost unfair to pick one single player out. Of course the forwards deserve special mention, it was their day and to a man they were superb; their effort in those conditions was just immense. However, the stand-out player, whose name was on everyone’s lips at the end (and he on his girlfriend’s) was back-row and big lover-boy tart, Jack Berry. A complete performance from Jack Jack and a deserved man of the match, put simply his hands were everywhere (apparently before, during and after the game!).

Despite the conditions, this was a really entertaining game of rugby: played in the right spirit, well refereed and the result hugely satisfying; this one will stay long in the memory, well done Cheshunt on winning promotion.

Dave Mulholland