Fullerians 12-53 Hitchin
Hitchin had a difficult start to their journey to Watford, a collision in Luton resulting in four players turning up at the 3pm Kick Off time. Our hosts kindly agreed to a 15 minute delay to kick off to allow our late arrivals to limber up.
The Hedgehogs made a rapid start to the match. A clearance kick by Captain Frazer McGown was initially fielded, but the ball spilled out of the tackle into the grateful hands of Fly Half Adam Miles, who outstripped the covering defence to score the opening try in the first minute of the match. Miles converted his try for a 7-0 lead.
After 5 minutes Fullerians conceded a penalty, which Miles elected to kick through the posts from 35 metres out.
A kick through by Prop James Bolter was chased down, forcing a sliced exit kick. Hitchin used the lineout as a platform to set up camp in the Fullerians 22. A few phases in, a committed line from Centre Marcus Goss breached the whitewash, again converted by Miles.
Bolter forced a penalty for holding on as Fullerians threatened. Hitchin advanced, and a charged down kick again pinned their hosts in their own 22. A well constructed rolling maul was halted 5 metres out, but Hooker Dan Barnes exploited a weakness on the blindside fringe to dart over for try number 3, converted from out wide by Miles.
The referee produced a yellow card for a high tackle on Miles. From the resulting penalty and kick to touch, the maul was halted after advancing 10 metres, but lock Matt Trussell picked the ball and pirouetted over the try line, to secure the bonus point after 30 minutes.
Winger Phill Ryan picked from the base of a ruck and generated momentum, offloading to Scrum Half Ryan Godfrey. Godfrey put in a delicate grubber kick, which eluded the Fullerians backfield, allowing Goss to touch down in the corner. Halftime score Fullerians 0-34 Hitchin.
With the result already determined, Hitchin continued to pile on the pressure. Prop Harry Elleston put in a perfectly weighted kick, to which Goss narrowly lost a footrace.
The boot was proving effective in picking the Fullerians defence, and Miles out in a crossfield kick, which the Winger failed to field, allowing Ryan to touch down on the right edge.
Miles, a deserving man of the match a day after his 18th birthday, almost scored shortly thereafter. Miles collected his own chip and chase before chipping through again, the Fullerians cover defence narrowly winning the race to the loose ball.
With scrum advantage, Miles offloaded to Ryan, who embarked on a evasive run from 25 metres out to score under the posts.
Another sinbin was issued to a Fullerians player after an accumulation of team offences. Shortly thereafter Ryan completed his hattrick, receiving an inside ball from McGown and carrying through a weak tackle.
Hitchin, excellent for 60 minutes suffered a marginal drop in energy. Fullerians found their opener in the fringes around the ruck after a 5 metre lineout. Fullerians pack were dominating the scrums, and the Hooker was throwing perfect darts to the back of the lineout. Their second try was another short range affair from the forwards.
The final 5 minutes was scrappy, and a Fullerians kick dribbled into touch, greeted by the final whistle. Final score Fullerians 12-53 Hitchin.
The Hedgehogs remain 6th in the table, level on points with 5th placed Old Streetonians, their next opponents at home on Saturday 26th October.
The 2XV made it a perfect day for Hitchin, taking a closely fought win at home to Royston 2XV. Man of the Match Josh Casbon scored 2 tries on debut, with further tries from Brodie Feaver, Jon Welsford and Ross Howard. Greg Ranson converted 4 of the tries for a 33-26 victory, their first this season in the merit table. Next Saturday they travel to local rivals Weston.