Bishop’s Stortford A 28 - 0 Cheshunt A

Tries: Etherington, Willis, Hicks, Solomon
Conversions: Lilley (4)

A solid start by Cheshunt, but we recovered well and started to probe the Cheshunt defence. A Stortford penalty gave us an early opportunity to score with Forbes nearly managing to drive through but the ball was dropped on the line. Cheshunt tried to kick out of trouble, but Etherington took the ball back towards the Cheshunt line and then took advantage of our retained possession to run in the first try. The restart saw Cheshunt on the attack, but Stortford defended well and Etherington took the ball back into the Cheshunt half once more. Cheshunt retook and kept possession for much of the remainder of the half, but good defence stopped them from taking advantage.

A good pickup and run by Solomon straight into the second half saw us on the attack once more. Stortford kept possession and moved the ball around well, but the Cheshunt backs were quick on the defence and contained our attack until another penalty and forward drive by Stortford which went out to Willis to put our second score on the board. Stortford started to increase the pressure, with Solomon finding a gap in the defence and then sending the ball out to Hicks to score in the right hand corner. An intercept by Keen put further pressure on to Cheshunt, with Wells making a couple of worthy probing attempts and then an excellent pickup by Solomon to score Stortford’s fourth try.

Bishop’s Stortford B 7 - 14 Cheshunt B

Try: Probyn
Conversion: Kettle

A Wyatt attack saw Stortford threatening early, with White making an attempt up the left before being put into touch just short of the line. Stortford remained camped on the Cheshunt line for much of the half, with some sterling work by the forwards to secure and retain possession and another attempt to score, this time by Jones down the right, but which was thwarted by the solid Cheshunt defence. Stortford had further opportunities to score: firstly a drive led by Probyn, then attacks by Stevenson and Murrant, then a near breakthrough by Kettle, but the Cheshunt defence held up on each occasion and finally allowed them the chance to clear and steady the situation at half time with no score yet on the board.

A deep kick off by Cheshunt at the start of the second half caught us unprepared and Cheshunt took advantage to run in a try and open up the scoring. Their attack continued after the restart, where they gained ground despite good tackles by Kettle, Wyatt and Precious, to score their second try. Stortford started to recover and attack once more, for which we were rewarded by a penalty which Probyn took over the line to get our score off the ground at last. Stortford continued to apply the pressure with a good attack by Wyatt to take the ball back to the Cheshunt line, but a Cheshunt penalty and clearance to the half way line denied our chance for an equaliser before the final whistle.

- Hugh Rutherford