After three disappointing league performances, Hitchin brought their A game to
Old Hale Way on Saturday, to beat 4th placed Grasshoppers by 7 tries
to 2
The
pack gained the upper hand in both the tight and loose play, while the team’s
defence was almost watertight, with a noticeable improvement in the first up
tackles
Despite
two yellow cards in the second half, Hitchin were always in control
Grasshoppers
kicked off, but Hitchin soon took the initiative. A good clearance kick took
play to the visitors’22 to see captain James Bolter powering over from a
quickly taken free kick for an unconverted try.
An attack
started in their own half saw Hitchin ‘s winger Antoine Oget
make
a run down the right wing, chipping the last defender, but the bounce of the
ball did not help, and he was injured in the resulting fray. Veteran
Matt
Lippard replacing him
After
20 minutes Grasshoppers came back with a well taken try by the centre, cutting
straight through the middle to score under the posts, making the conversion a
formality.
Hitchin
worked themselves back into the opposition half for a scrum under ther
posts. Due to the pressure exerted by
the Hitchin forwards the ball shot out the back of the scrum for Rhys Gregory to
pounce and cross the line, Adam Shaw
converting.
On
the half hour Hitchin prop Barry Mellor went over from 5 m for Harry Elliston
to convert.
Half
time came with the score at 19 – 7
Despite
several attacks by Grasshoppers the Hitchin defence held out. The visitors
exerted pressure for five minutes, twice being held up over the line
But
through the excellent work of the forwards the home side took play up field,
where scrum half Gregory got his second try , unconverted but the bonus pout
achieved
Ten
minutes later Adam Shaw scored, for Elleston to convert
Entering
the last quarter. Grasshoppers were awarded a penalty 10 m out in mid field ,
and ran in for a converted try
.
But
mantes later , good inter-passing by the
Hitchin forwards resulted in lock Nick Panton receiving a scoring pass from Man
of the Match, prop Sean McGinnity, the difficult
conversion by Elleston being successful.
The
final word went to captain Bolter, who following more slick passing from a
quickly taken penalty , ran in from 30m to score , the kick this time unsuccessful
.
Next
week Hitchin travel to Datchworth for the last league game of the season
Team Sean McGinnity, Barry Mellor, Harry Elleston, Philip Hobbs, Nick Panton, Daniel Barnes, Ryan Arbon, James Bolter, Rhys Gregory, Adam Shaw, Matthew Houlden, Vincent Kevans, Harry Cartwright, Antoine Oget, Elliot Gibson
Subs Carwyn Morgan, Ryan Godfrey, Matt Lippard
Scores T: Rhys Gregory (2), James Bolter (2), Barry Mellor (1), Adam Shaw (1), Nick Panton (1)
C: Harry Elleston (3), Adam Shaw (1)
Player(s) of Match 1. Sean McGinnity
The league: London North West 3