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1st XV 43 v 14 Grasshoppers RFC - Home League on 1 Apr 2017

Published on Sunday, 2 April 2017

 


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

 

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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 McGinnityLondon North West 3 The league: London North West 3

 

 

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Hitchin Rugby Limited, King George V Playing Fields, Old Hale Way, Hitchin, Hertfordshire SG5 1XL England, Charity No. 1159772
enquiries@hitchinrugby.com T: +44 (0)1462 432679