Tring 23 Bishop's Stortford 1st XV 32

Tring opened the scoring within minutes, as Stortford failed to secure the kickoff cleanly and returning fly half Tom Coleman’s poor clearance kick went straight to the very capable hands of the Tring full back, who set up some slick passing from their backs. This, aided by poor tackling from Stortford, gave blind side flanker, Huw Slater the opening try, which full back Tom Newton failed to convert from out wide. From the Stortford restart an almost identical situation occurred as Tring failed to secure the high ball and Stortford open-side flanker Tom Stokely was quick to recycle loose ball and following three phases of quick rucked ball, blindside flanker Maehe Austin fed the Stortford scrum half Aaron Mohoney, who dummied the last defender and scored out wide. Tom Coleman also missed the conversion. Tring came back almost immediately with some sustained pressure and quick ball which left the Stortford defence stretched and a good cross field kick to winger Tim Loughnan enabled him to score out wide to put Tring back in the lead. Again fullback Newton missed the conversion.

Stortford were then firmly on the back foot following poor defensive kicks from Coleman and incisive running by the Tring backs, they caught a Stortford forward in an offside position for a penalty in front of the posts and within a minute the Stortford defence was penalised again for offside, fullback Newton filling his boots on both occasions. 16 minutes gone 16-5 to Tring !!!

With Stortford in danger of being swept off the park, the pack started to stamp some authority on the game with good scrummaging and great drives forward from No 8 Damian Sangster and more quick ball and good hands from the backs saw Stortford fullback and leading try scorer Jimmy Rea scored wide out on the left, which Coleman converted. More power play from the Stortford forwards resulted in a penalty for offside by the Tring backs which Coleman again converted from in front of the posts. Half Time score 16-15 to Tring.

The second half started as the first half finished with the Stortford front five dominating the set scrums and the back row rampant around the field. Prop Will Freeston got into the act with a great catch and 25 yard run which set up up a good attacking scrum and once again Sangster took quick ball which was recycled to Coleman who dummied wide but slipped a great inside pass to Rea for his 2nd try close to the posts. As expected, Coleman converted. 16-22 Stortford - in the lead at last !!
  
More pressure from Stortford forwards from the restart and it’s another penalty for offside in front of the posts which Coleman converts. Stortford’s 2nd row Dave Aldam is unfortunately sidelined with a bloodied nose and sub Hamish Irving returns to 1st team duty following injury and stamps his free running style on the game. Tring are put under more pressure and their fullback Newton is sin binned for foul play against Coleman, who promptly puts the resultant penalty kick in the corner. From the lineout Stortford again recycle good ball thru a number of phases with Irving stepping into the line to take the scoring pass and a well deserved fourth try bonus point. Coleman converts for 16-32.
 
A period of cut and thrust rugby ensues from both sides with Tring claiming a try out wide but being brought back by a hotly disputed foot in touch call from the touch judge, which displeased their coach and supporters enormously!!  However they did get the last points of the game from a well taken line out ball and some good phases of play with their winger Richard Roberts touching down out wide from a good move. Newton converted.

Final score Tring 23 – Stortford 32

This was a hard fought game with the Stortford team late out of the blocks, but after they got their act together following some harsh words from the coaching staff they played good sustained pressure rugby with fast recycled ball to take a well deserved win, which consolidates their 5th place position in the league.