Tring 27 Bishop's Stortford 1st XV 48

Although Stortford dominated possession in the first quarter of the game, Tring’s defence stood up solidly to a constant battering, as the visitors tried, but largely failed to create good, quick second-phase ball. The first score after 20 minutes, in fact went to the home side, via a penalty from flyhalf Tom Newton, after Stortford were penalised for failing to release a tackled player. It took a further 6 minutes for the visitors finally to create enough room for their backs to launch a threatening attack and the chance was not wasted, as centre, John Stocker took a switch pass to break the first line of defence and then force his way over through the fullback’s tackle for a try close to the posts. Tom Coleman duly converted. The next try was soon to follow, as a turnover ball was moved quickly to Stortford’s fullback, Sam Winter, who dummied his way through the heart of the home side’s scrambling defence to set winger, Jimmy Rea clear to run in, leaving Coleman another easy conversion. Tring were not to be easily cowed, however and they forced their way back into the Stortford half, from where a good dummy and dart from Newton put him into open space, allowing him to give his right wing a clear run over the line to take the score to 8-14. The flyhalf’s conversion attempt bounced out off the far post. The final score of the half, though justifiably went to the visitors, as a long miss-pass from Coleman found Hamish Irving clear outside the Tring left winger. The flanker needed no second invitation to stretch his legs and he made 40 yards straight down the wing, before giving a return pass to Coleman, supporting inside for the flyhalf to jog in to give himself an easy conversion. 8-21 at halftime.

Stortford started the second half, now with the benefit of breeze and slope, again on the front foot, but failed to make anything of early pressure. The home side quickly made them pay for this, surging upfield and running through a number of phases before creating a backs v forwards mismatch out wide, which their right wing easily exploited for his second try. Newton’s conversion closed the gap to an uncomfortably close 6 points. Any nerves, which Stortford might have felt – bearing in mind last season’s second half collapse here! – were soon allayed, however, as Stocker crossed for his second try, exploiting space unusually allowed him by the home defence to hand-off Newton and lope over the line. Coleman’s conversion stretched the lead to 15 points. On 52 minutes, a further degree of comfort was created, as Sam Whiffen (on as substitute scrumhalf since halftime, as Sam Coleman moved over to the wing, replacing the injured Jimmy Rea) touched down, forcing his way over despite the attentions of two defenders, following a decisive blindside break by No 8, Mark McCraith off the back of an excellent set scrum drive by his pack. The conversion this time was a bit more testing, but Coleman, once again proved up to the task, taking the score to 15-35. Within 2 minutes, though, Tring had registered their own seven points, as Newton took advantage of a very casual clearance kick attempt by Stortford to charge the ball down and follow up to touch down a fortunate bounce under the visitors’ posts. Determined not to give any more presents to the opposition, Stortford drove back onto the attack, making good use of the slope to gain territory, from which two penalties were produced, allowing Coleman to add another six points to his and his team’s tallies after 69 and 72 minutes – the latter following a good burst up the middle by one of the Aldams (!)-[note from editor - would one of you chaps wear a yellow scrumcap, if provided?! ] Tring remained undaunted, however, and took advantage of a rare penalty concession by Stortford to drive their way over for their bonus-point try from a 5 metre lineout after 78 minutes. Newton could not convert from out wide. Tring now threw caution to the wind and, in trying to run their way out of their own 22, it was their turn to gift a try to the opposition, as Coleman anticipated a long inside pass to intercept and register his second try and then his sixth conversion to take the final score to 27-48.

No First XV fixture next week, so a chance to gather breath before action is resumed at home to Gravesend on November 17.