There is little doubt that the visitors deserved to win the match, though, taking full advantage of the home side’s limitations on the day, both in attack and defence to clinch victory with the final kick of the game in what, for a neutral observer must have been a humdinger of a match, with 10 tries scored and the lead almost constantly changing hands.

The first score of the game went to OE’s fullback, Tom White with a penalty after 5 minutes, following two needless turnovers from the home side, who had looked clearly the stronger side in the early exchanges. This strength came to the fore 2 minutes later, though with debutant winger, Mike Gallagher scoring a stunning try from the halfway line, stepping his way through the visitors’ defence with barely a hand laid on him. Fullback, George Cullen’s conversion took the score to 3-7 and 4 minutes later the lead was stretched to 9 points, with an unconverted try from No 8, Mark McCraith off a driving five metre scrum, following a break by winger, Nick Hankin. Stortford quickly conceded the initiative, however, when two poor box kicks in succession gave possession away and visiting flyhalf, Paul Humphries scooted over for a try on 18 minutes, giving his fullback an easy conversion. It took 6 more minutes for Stortford’s powerful pack to make its mark again, with another drive from a 5 metre scrum allowing scrumhalf, Tom Dougherty to touch down. Cullen’s conversion took the score to 19-10 and this time it took 11 minutes for OEs to respond - with an easy 3 points to White from a penalty for offside. Cullen responded almost immediately with his own three-pointer after a tremendous restart take by Johnny Neville, but then Stortford’s concentration lapsed completely, failing to get anywhere near the restart kick and simple, quick passing was enough to see Humphries in for his second try and White’s conversion from out wide took his team to within 2 points. Worse was to come for the home team, though as they quickly conceded another penalty at the breakdown , which White unerringly converted to give his side a one point halftime lead.

Stortford’s scrum soon made its mark again in the second period and when, after 4 minutes they drove the opposition towards their line from a 5 metre scrum, the referee immediately awarded a penalty try. Once again, though Stortford invited the opposition back into the game and dreadful tackling at the back of a scrum on their own 5 metre line allowed number 6, Harry Ledger to trundle over for a try and easy conversion for White after 9 minutes. The next score went to Stortford some 10 minutes later, with Neville touching down off a great offload out of a tackle by McCraith. Cullen’s conversion attempt went narrowly wide. A further ten minutes had elapsed, when White kicked another three points from a soft penalty, as a Stortford player chased a kick out of defence from an offside position. A crucial refereeing decision then occurred, as a free kick was awarded against Stortford well inside their own half, as they drove yet another scrum backwards and after the OEs’ loosehead prop had clearly stood up. The visitors grabbed the opportunity in both hands and a couple of quick passes saw substitute, Charlie Edwards diving in for a try, which White almost inevitably converted after 71 minutes to take the score to 34-40. Stortford fought back bravely and looked for all the world, as if they had snatched an unlikely victory when, with only 3 minutes to go, they worked space for Hankin after a great break by Cullen and the winger ran in a try, which the fullback cooly converted to give his side a one point lead. It was, unfortunately, no surprise in the context of this often slipshod performance that the home side failed miserably to protect this lead – firstly failing to secure the ball from the restart and then conceding a very kickable penalty at a breakdown. White, who looked rock solid all afternoon made no mistake and his goal shot proved to be the last action of the game.