Tonbridge Juddians(TJs) 31 Bishop's Stortford 1st XV 45

Having lost the toss, Stortford played the first half with a strong following wind and a heavy onus, therefore, to establish a clear lead. Starting unusually strongly, the visitors took the lead through a Tom Coleman penalty after 4 minutes, when the home side were penalised at a set scrum, having allowed the visitors to regain possession after the opening dropout. The lead was extended to 10 points eleven minutes into the game via a converted try scored by Sam Winter, following a great break out of defence by scrumhalf, Tom Banks who kicked ahead, recovered the bouncing ball and then stepped inside to commit the final defender and give his fullback a clear run in under the posts. The position had been created by an excellent cover tackle by winger, Jimmy Rea, who then leapt to his feet to win a clean turnover inside the Stortford 22. This proved to have been just a prelude to what turned out to be a fantastic afternoon for Rea. Seven minutes later, he scored a tremendous try, diving in bravely between two covering defenders, as Coleman spurned a relatively easy 3 points to tap a penalty and crosskick wide to the left wing. Coleman converted to establish a 17 point lead, but this was narrowed only 7 minutes later by a converted try to the home side, when prop, Jimmy Stanford barrelled over for a try after a period of concerted TJs' pressure on the Stortford line. Another 7 minutes, though, saw Stortford's 17 point lead restored, when Rea registered his second try, capitalising on a searing break by centre, John Stocker to run in from some 40 metres out. With the prospect of turning to play the second half into the strong wind, this lead looked to be far from comfortable, but the remaining 10 minutes of the first session dramatically changed this situation in the home side's favour, as they found Stortford had little answer to their powerful driving maul game. This firstly produced a converted try, as the pack drove over from some 15 metres out and then a penalty to centre, Charlie Harding to take the halftime score to 17-24.

Stortford started the second period nervously and two poor knock-ons presented the home side with possession in the opposition 22, without having had to exert any real pressure. A lifeline was, however quickly provided to the visitors, as Harding missed an eminently kickable penalty after 4 minutes. It took only a further 3 minutes for Stortford to score their 4th, bonus-point-winning try which, when converted took them back into an unexpected 14 point lead. The score, once again went to Rea, who outpaced the cover defence to touch down from 50 metres out, after second row, Hamish Irving had made a tremendous break out of defence to pass behind his tackler and give his winger a clear - if distant! - view of the line. Within 10 minutes, though, TJs narrowed the gap by 7 points, as their left wing, Jonny Farmer ran in a try out wide, after Stortford's defence was found to be shorthanded, following good forward pressure up the middle. Harding kicked a great conversion from the touchline. Worse was to come for the visitors twenty minutes into the half, as the home side somewhat belatedly reverted to their dominant driving maul to level the scores via another converted try. Undaunted, however, Stortford surged back onto the attack to register, arguably their best try. The forwards initially made impressive ground through their own rolling maul down the left and the forward momentum was exploited clinically as the ball was swung quickly to Coleman who used dummy runs from his centres to feed Rea, cutting in off the blindside wing, who went over untouched under the posts for his 4th try. Coleman's conversion took Stortford 7 points clear, but this lead soon began to look vulnerable as the home side reverted to the strength of their driving fowards to pressure the visitors' line and force two successive penalties. The second resulted in a yellow card for substitute backrow, Damien Sangster and, with several minutes left and the opposition camped on the Stortford line prospects were not good. Some fantastic, determined last-ditch tackling by the visitors was, however, enough to repel the rampaging TJs side. What is more, as they, not by any means for the first time in the half, chose somewhat mysteriously to spin the ball to their backs, rather than rely on their advantages up front, they turned the ball over through a decisive interception by Stocker. The centre didn't quite have the legs to make the tryline himself, but was able to pop the ball up from the last-ditch tackle on him for Rea - who else?! - to dive on the loose ball for his fifth try. A tremendous conversion from out wide by Coleman effectively closed the game out at 31-45 to Stortford.

Given Stortford's difficulties in defending against a strong pack and a very well-drilled TJs maul and the resultant dominatioin of possession by the home side, it was a fantastic achievement for Stortford to score 6 tries and 45 points against a team that had previously conceded less than 90 points in 7 home games. This was a pulsating game that was always very strongly contested and, although Stortford were never behind, their large number of travelling supporters were unable to relax at any stage and the final whistle was greeted with huge elation by those on the field and off.

Perhaps fortunately, there will be no risk of Stortford getting carried away with even a victory as outstanding as this, as they prepare this week for the visit of Hertfordshire rivals, Tring next Saturday.