Bishop's Stortford 1st XV 39 Leicester Lions 12

Despite the pressures on both sides in this big battle between two sides on the brink of the relegation zone, both teams came out determined to play expansive, attacking rugby and produced a contest that belied their lowly league positions. Stortford just about edged the early exchanges, as each side looked to test out the opposition, but deservedly made the first breakthrough after 16 minutes, when Francis Moore took advantage of a turnover in midfield to make a crucial break and set Chris Smith clear to the line. Tom Walker added an excellent conversion across the strong wind. The Stortford flyhalf extended the lead to 10 points with a penalty after 29 minutes, when the visitors were penalised at a breakdown under their own posts, as Will Rogers threatened to break through. A quality try followed three minutes later, with Stortford’s forwards driving up the middle after a lineout 25 metres from the Leicester line and then quick ball along the backline, saw Nick Hankin exploiting a 2 on 1 to step in towards the post to give Walker an easier conversion. The half ended with another Walker penalty after more Stortford attacking pressure.

After the break, the home side picked up where they had left off, with Tom Mills running back some 30 metres a deep Leicester kick and slick support from Walker and Moore saw the latter beat the final defenders to fight his way over for a try in the corner with barely a minute of the half gone. Once again, Walker was able to convert. The game seemed to be won 6 minutes later, when James Ayrton won the race to touch down a clever chip kick from Walker, who added two easy points from close to the posts. A handling gaffe by Stortford shortly after, however, presented opposition scrumhalf, James Stubbs with a gift of a try, converted by replacement 10, Luke Bouchier and this lifted his side, who proceeded to dominate possession for the remaining 27 minutes. Stern defence by Stortford, though stifled a number of threatening attacks and, as the visitors became increasingly desperate in their efforts to break through, Nick Hankin was able to leap high and intercept a long, floated pass near to halfway to sprint in for a try out wide. The conversion challenge into the strong wind finally defeated Walker. Despite the 39-7 scoreline, the visitors hurled themselves back onto the attack and stretched the determined home defence repeatedly, forcing a string of penalties. Eventually, Leicester's efforts were rewarded when, after 69 minutes, they managed to run through multiple phases to create just enough room out wide for Malelili Satala-Navlivou to crash over in the corner for an unconverted try. This heralded further pressure from the visitors, but they were unable again to penetrate Stortford's very determined defence.

Thanks today go to the many supporters who, despite the hugely competing attractions of the Sarries-Quins game "just down the road" at Spurs' stadium, turned out to cheer on the players in this massive game and especially to Matchday Sponsors, Mulberry Homes and Man of the Match sponsors, Forward Corporate Finance. The award today went to Will Rogers for yet another powerful performance from the base of the scrum and, indeed, all over the pitch, where he led by example a tremendously committed and aggressive team performance, right across the squad.