Onto the HERTS County Cup Finals !

Nice to play Harpenden again and the day started off with us congratulating them on securing promotion into the Herts & Middlesex League Division 1, for next season.

Our hosts allowed our U14's to play on there 1st XV pitch, (ahead of our U17's !), provided a senior referee and even arranged for the sun to come out just before kick-off. Overall we left with a good all round performance under our belts and that despite both teams having a few players missing, with a closer contest having taken place than the score suggests, especially in the first half.

A combative, primarily forwards dominated first 15 minutes, saw Longaretti eventually settle our nerves with the first of two tries for him and Mitchell adding his first of 3 conversions to make it 0 - 12 at oranges. Coach Williams had a few things to say at half time ! and in the second half we saw the focus moving towards broader distribution and getting our backs more involved resulting in a further three tries between Oakey and Head with our defence containing Harpenden well on there excursions into our half. To there credit our opposition kept battling away but a few unfortunate knock-ons and turnovers cost them once more in the last 5 minutes when some good rucking from the likes of Mehmet, Walker and Heywood saw quick ball from Williams (junior) to Mitchell and a cross-field kick that Stevensen kindly let bounce over his head, for Skingsley to catch and dive over the whitewash - Making up for his travel sickness enroute.

So into the Easter break and hopefully time for a few injured boys to recuperate before we train on 3rd April and shortly thereafterface Old Albanians again, in the Finals.