Hitchin kicked off against a strong wind, which allowed
visitors Cheshunt to keep the pressure on for much of the first half
Early on Hitchin defence held out, but indiscipline led to
two penalties in the 6th & 14th minute to give
Cheshunt a 6 point lead
As the first quarter few to a close, Cheshunt broke in
midfield and chased a kick ahead to the corner. The Hitchin cover was slow to
get across, but the line was kept intact. However a third penalty from 30m was
successfully converted to extend the lead to 9 points
The visitors were using the wind to their advantage, and the
home side only made occasional visits to the opposition half. With Hitchin
reduced to 14 after a yellow card on 25 minutes, the pressure grew, but
Cheshunt failed for the first time to convert a penalty and half time came with
the score at 0 -9
Hitchin now had the considerable advantage from the
conditions, but it was Cheshunt, keeping the ball in hand, who ran in their
first try in the first minute.
A promising attack took Hitchin into the visitors’ 22 area,
only for them to be penalised and lose ground. But soon after this Ben Wiggins
successfully converted a Cheshunt penalty to open his side’s score. Hitchin
seemed to move up a gear, and shortly afterwards Wiggins slotted another penalty to narrow the gap to 8 points
After 25 minutes
Cheshunt were back on Hitchin’s line, but the defence held out until conceding
a penalty, which was run by the opposition resulting in more desperate defence on the line. A misdirected kick landed
in the in-goal areas for Cheshunt to win the dash to touch down for their
second try, duly converted.
Hitchin were straight back, taking play to the visitors’ 22,
but were unable to take advantage of opportunities to find the spaces to attack.
But after 35 minutes the referee awarded them a penalty try,
as Cheshunt twice illegally stopped the pack’s efforts to cross the line
With the gap now only 8 points again, Hitchin were looking
for points to secure at least a losing bonus point, but the Cheshunt side held
out for the remaining minutes to secure their first ever league win against Hitchin
Next week Hitchin travel to St Albans, looking for their
second win of the season
Team Sean McGinnity, Thomas Tidey, James Akrill, Samuel Underwood, Nick Panton, Joshua Page, Joe Barnes, James Bolter, Heinrich Schlehmeyer, Ben Wiggins, Alistair Southward, Utah Taylor-Surman, Carwyn Morgan, Charles Wood-Jones, Elliot Gibson
Subs Rhys Gregory, Max Stallard, Harry Cartwright
Scores P: Ben Wiggins (2)
The league: London North West 3