Hitchin 31-24 Ruislip
Hitchin hosted Ruislip, back on the main pitch which was in beautiful condition thanks to the hard work of many at the club. A sold out VP Dinner was the perfect precursor to the match.
The two clubs were well matched on recent encounters, each with 2 wins from the last 2 seasons. Hitchin made a shaky start but won a scrum penalty and worked their way upfield. A series of picks from the ruck was eventually turned into points from short range by Prop James Bolter, converted by Fly Half Adam Miles
Ruislip didn't take long to respond. A penalty was awarded and a couple of smart offloads exploited an overload on the right edge, which was finished but not converted.
Hitchin's dominant scrum brought about the second try. A halfway scrum penalty was kicked to touch, and an infringement around the ruck resulted in a 5 metre penalty, which was scrummaged over the line for Captain Frazer McGown to touch down. Miles converted for a 14-5 lead.
Hitchin made a hash of the restart, conceding a penalty for offside. Centre Simon Taylor stripped possession when Ruislip looked set to score. Nevertheless, Hitchin failed to exit their half and were eventually punished when a well constructed maul drove over the try line.
The match became more difficult when a yellow card was issued for a high tackle, reducing Hitchin to 14 men. Ruislip took advantage immediately, expertly overloading the edges to score two tries in quick succession to secure a bonus point before half time. Half time score Hitchin 14-24 Ruislip.
Back up to 15 men, Hitchin kicked a penalty to touch 5 metres out, and the rolling maul did the rest as Hooker Ewan Rawlings carried the ball over the whitewash.
Despite a lineout not going according to plan, Hitchin won the subsequent scrum against the head, and McGown bagged his second try from short range.
Ruislip had a forward sinbinned for a late tackle. Despite this numerical advantage, and with Fly Half Adam Miles pinning Ruislip in the corner time and again, Hitchin failed to make this count on the scoreboard, locked at 24-24.
An injury to Miles resulted in a reshuffle, and Ruiri Shanahan, now at Fly Half, finally unlocked the Ruislip defence, putting up a high ball to which Winger Jack Maydom beat his opposite man to touch down. Shanahan added the extras to extend the lead to seven points.
It was a tense finish as Ruislip pressed for a potential equalising score. Two rolling mauls from 5 metre lineouts were repelled, the second of which brought about the final whistle.
Hitchin move up to fourth in Counties 1 Herts/Middlesex, with three bonus point wins from four matches.
The 2XV narrowly missed out in a high scoring Cup match at Letchworth, Hitchin contributing 6 tries to a 44-32 defeat. Winger Greg Ranson bagged himself a hattrick, and Centre Paul Ledwith, Number 8 Ash Wood and Scrum Half Adam Howard also scored a try each.
Both sides take a rest week before returning to action on 12th October.