Both sides were deprived of a number of key players for this rearranged fixture, but it was the home team that demonstrated the greater strength in depth, achieving a convincing victory over a side that had been enjoying a strong run in the league.

Both sides showed an early willingness to run the ball from deep, producing some entertaining rugby, though neither was able to string many phases together against two strong defences. Worthing looked threatening at the breakdown in early exchanges, succeeding in slowing down second-phase ball for the home side, so patience was needed and, playing into the breeze, Stortford for the most part demonstrated this quality. A little more composure, however on a couple of occasions, when the visitors were forced onto the back foot might well have produced tries. As it was, the only score of the half came after 18 minutes when livewire fullback, Tom Whiteley seized on a loose ball , as four players competed for a Tom Coleman crosskick, dropping right on the Worthing line, to plunge over for an unconverted try. After 22 minutes, Whiteley was moved to his favoured position of scrumhalf, to replace Arran Mahoney, who had suffered an injury to his ankle and the youngster clearly relished the opportunity to become more heavily involved in the game. One great run down a very narrow short side of a maul almost saw him to the try line and it was unfortunate that his inside pass under pressure did not fall to one of the supporting players. The whole team were now showing tremendous commitment in all areas of the game and gradually established an edge over their determined opposition. Another great opportunity, though went begging just before halftime, when a storming break up the middle by second row, Dave Aldam again stretched the Worthing defence to near breaking point, but the support players were unable to show sufficient composure and a penalty was conceded.

With the breeze at their backs and Stortford's pack performing well against whichever of their many front row combinations Worthing had out, the home side took control in the second half, with replacement prop, Billy Walker clearly enjoying his first team debut. It was a penalty at a particularly strong Stortford scrum after 6 minutes of the half that produced a penalty, which took them into the Worthing 22 and from a driven lineout ball space was made for winger, Mike Gallagher to dash over for another unconverted try. The visitors now came briefly back into the game and, forcing Stortford back into their 22, won a penalty, which was kicked to touch. A strong driving maul from the resultant 5 metre lineout saw flanker, Sam Hewick over for a try to take the score to 10-5. The home side bounced back and a strong counter-drive at a ruck forced a turnover and brought a yellow card for Worthing's second row, Stanley South for foul play on 56 minutes. The kick for touch took Stortford into the visitors' 22 and, when Worthing were penalised again at a breakdown, Whiteley took a quick tap and dodged his way over for his second try which again went unconverted. The bonus point try came after 68 minutes, when skipper, Tom Coleman crashed over from a short pass, as that man, Whiteley again threatened the Worthing line and it was the scrumhalf, who kicked the first conversion of the game to take his side out to a 22-5 lead. A fifth try came some 8 minutes later, when Richard Gill crowned another good game by touching down at the back of a driving maul from a 5 metre lineout. Whiteley again converted. There was time enough left, though for Worthing to register a consolation try after 79 minutes, when their man of the match, scrumhalf Calum Waters ran back a Stortford kick, using his pace to round two covering forwards and make some 40 yards, from which speedy support by his own forwards saw Hewick cross for his second try to take the final score to 29-10.

This was a strong performance by the whole 20-man Stortford squad, who demonstrated increasing poise and control, as the game went on, constantly pressed the opposition into mistakes and became progressively more clinical in exploiting the chances created as a result. As Coach, Andy Long said after the game, even after a tremendous team performance like today', there are always areas to be worked on and, with a trip to table-topping Henley next week, there will be no lack of motivation to squeeze out the improvements looked for. A visit to the leaders' backyard represents a tremendous challenge but one which, on this form, the Stortford team will be relishing.