Stortford took full advantage of an early mistake by the home, side, with Chris Bolton touching down under the posts after 7 minutes from a 5 metre scrum under the opposition posts, after a goal-line dropout had flown straight into touch. Dings levelled the scores within 2 minutes, though, with their backs moving the ball fluently from side to side, allowing Harry Tarling to step in from outside centre, wrong-footing a couple of defenders on his way 30 metres to the try line. The home side were looking sharper in possession and took the lead after 26 minutes, when hooker, Nick English comfortably won the race to touch down a clever grubber kick from scrumhalf, Tom Knight. It was then Dings’s turn to make a big error, knocking on, as they tried to run the ball out of their own 22. Stortford exerted pressure on the line and slick hands from a second 5 metre scrum, including an instinctive take and give behind his back from Dan Powell, saw Tom Mills under the posts for a try converted by Powell after 35 minutes. An impressive-looking Dings side flew back onto the attack and only an extended spell of ferocious defending from Stortford allowed them to go into the break all square – a scoreline which didn’t really reflect the clear edge that the home side had had for most of the half.

Stortford would, undoubtedly have looked to regather their resources during halftime but unfortunately restarted sloppily, having an early attempted clearance from the base of a ruck charged down and a few phases later, a long pass to the left wing left him enough room to squirm over for an unconverted try in the corner, with only 3 minutes of the half gone. Stortford fired straight back and were level again only 4 minutes later. Following a lineout some 15m from the home line, Alex Gilham made a forceful run (one of a number by the winger over the game), but was stopped inches short of the line. Quick ball from the resultant ruck found Will Rogers on the charge and he could not be stopped. Within 5 minutes, though, the home side were ahead again, following yet another charged down kick from the base of a defensive ruck. Stortford conceded a penalty in scrambling back and a quick tap saw Tarling in for his second try – this one under the posts, putting his side 7 points ahead again. The gap was widened to 10 five minutes later, when the visitors were penalised at their own scrum and Dings’ flyhalf, Jamie Elswood slotted a good goal. Stortford were back in contention with 60 minutes gone, though, when Gilham showed tremendous strength to break a first tackle and then drive through two more defenders for a great individual try, converted by Powell. A penalty for a high tackle against Stortford 4 minutes later brought a lineout on their 22 and powerful driving from the home forwards saw them sweep over for a converted try and another 10 points lead. An unconverted try by Tom Mills with 6 minutes to go, following a tremendous, mazy run out of defence by Charlie Reynolds-West, briefly brought the visitors within range of a second bonus point, but not for long. A loose Stortford pass just outside their own 22 put them under severe pressure and a penalty was conceded under the posts, the kick stretching the gap to 8 points, which is how the game finished.