The home side started quickly and dominated the early exchanges, with Cambridge depending on opposition mistakes to pose any kind of threat. It was, therefore, predictable that a loose Stortford pass, as an opening home try was begging, led to an interception on the visitors’ line, which threatened to put their winger, Mike Ayrton in for a try and it took a staggering cover tackle from second row, Matt Tomlinson, chasing back crossfield to deny the score. A fracas ensued at the resultant breakdown and Cambridge’s fullback Matt Goode was yellow-carded on 10 minutes. The home side surged back onto the offensive and registered the first score some 7 minutes later, when No 5, Jon George touched down off the back of a second five metre maul, following two penalties conceded by an under-pressure Cambridge. Marcus Cattell’s attempted conversion fell well short to leave his side only 5 points ahead – scant reward for the dominance they had enjoyed. The visitors continued to defend stoutly, however and repelled a number of threatening Stortford attacks. It was a second interception pass thrown by Stortford that next proved decisive, as a long midfield pass was picked off by second row, Ollie Marriott after 25 minutes and this time no-one was able to haul him in before he touched down under the posts to take the visitors into a 2 point lead after the easy conversion. Stortford continued to play all the rugby and, despite continued stern resistance from Cambridge, forced a penalty after 36 minutes, which Tom Coleman converted from under the posts to take his side into a one point lead. Two minutes later and the pendulum swung again in the home side’s favour, as substitute Cambridge forward, Kyle Dufty was yellow-carded for collapsing a maul. His team reacted strongly, though by producing one of their best tight scrums of the match against an otherwise dominate home eight and spoiled Stortford’s ball to force a turnover. The clearance kick was,however, moved quickly through the hands by Stortford’s backs and centre, Sam Winter found himself with room outside, which he exploited clinically to dash some 30 yards, before stepping inside to beat the two covering defenders and touch down close to the posts, from which position Coleman was not going to miss the conversion. 15-7 to Stortford at halftime, which scarcely reflected the dominance they had shown through their running, fifteen man rugby.

Stortford again started the second period on the front foot and produced the best try of the match after 7 minutes, when Declan Caulfield rounded off an excellent move built on breaks by Marcus Cattell and John Neville which found flanker, Steve Ball and Tomlinson in close support to feed his hooker to crash over close to the posts. Neville kicked the conversion to extend his side’s lead to 15 points. The strain of almost constant defending now seemed to start to tell on the visitors and the 4th, bonus point try duly followed some 9 minutes later, as Ball drove over off the back of yet another driving maul from a 5 metre lineout, after another of the many penalties conceded by the embattled Cambridge side. The conversion was missed to leave the score at 27-7. Cambridge didn’t give up, however, and were rewarded – albeit somewhat fortuitously - when home prop, Sean Edwards was sin-binned for obstructing after a short kick-ahead – picked up by the referee, who had missed a similar, but slightly more subtle offence immediately before, when fullback, Nick Hankin was prevented from following up his own chip out of defence. A 5 metre lineout ensued and second row, Martin Wolfenden, who had been prominent for the visitors throughout, deservedly registered his side’s second try, forcing his way over in the corner after 21 minutes of the half. The conversion was missed and any slight hope Cambridge might have cherished of a comeback was effectively extinguished some 7 minutes later, when Dufty received his second yellow card for cynically handling the ball on the floor at a ruck close to his own line. Stortford swept back onto the attack and Ball duly scored his second try 33 minutes into the half, after a searing break by substitute scrumhalf, Tom Banks. Banks’ own conversion attempt flew narrowly wide from the touchline. Cambridge, continuing to show commendable spirit fought their way back into the Stortford 22, as time was running out and a quick penalty and chip ahead by , Albert Portsmouth was rewarded with a fortunate bounce, eluding Hankin, allowing the winger to touch down under the posts. His own conversion took the final score to 32-19.

The Russell Property Partnership Man of the Match was second row, Jon George in recognition of his all-field, non-stop performance.

This tremendous win takes Stortford to second place in the League at this very early stage of the season, but let’s remember that, after 5 games last season we were rock-bottom, yet fought our way to third in the final table. In such a tight league as ours, we will undoubtedly have to battle for every point. Next week’s match at a much-changed Clifton will certainly produce big challenges and our boys will doubtless be working hard through the week to ensure they measure up to them. They will doubtless be joined at training by many of the youngsters who performed so well for the Blues in the evening kick-off match against a strong Cambridge second string, losing by the narrowest margin to the final kick of the match in an all-action performance, of which many of the watching First XV would have been proud.