They say that lightening doesn't strike twice in the same place. But the Cornish President confirmed that it can, following Hertfordshire's magnificent victory at Hoe Lane on Saturday. This result throws the southern pool of the RFU County Shield wide open, though with a home match against unbeaten Eastern Counties and a large points difference advantage Cornwall remain favourites for promotion.

In conditions more akin to high summer, both teams must have been drained after a pulsating match during which fortunes fluctuated throughout. Hertfordshire's pack laid the basis for victory with outstanding performances in the scrums and in the loose, where the Herts back row operated as a superb unit. The performance behind the scrum was unrecognisable from last week, defence was tight and there were a number of near misses in attack.

The Cornish men produced a number of fine individual performances, especially from No 8 Sam Hocking (Cornish All Blacks), who took a lot of stopping in the loose and from backs Matt Jess and Ryan Westren (Both Cornish All Blacks) who caused many a problem and scored three tries between them. But in the end when under pressure to force a win in the last 20 minutes the visitors gave away too many penalty opportunities to Hertfordshire and lost their fluency in attack.

Cornwall could not have asked for a better start, being seven points up within two minutes and Hertfordshire had not touched the ball. They gathered their own kick off, recycled a number of times as they drove up the field and then gave fly half Marc Scivenor (Cornish All Blacks) room to touch down for a try that he then converted. Hertfordshire's response was a little uncertain as they knocked on their first possession and lost their first throw in. But then a few good scrummages gave some good controlled ball and the whole team appeared to calm their nerves.

After 10 minutes Richard Gregg (Old Albanian) kicked a penalty to the Cornwall 22. Herts won the line out and flanker Chris Rainbow (Newbury) made a telling break and put in Ryan de la Harpe (Letchworth) in for a try. Minutes later Cornwall increased their lead when centre Westren broke though and put Jess for a try, though there was an element of doubt about the scoring pass.

The home side responded with a purple patch. Firstly an attack on the right ran out of space, then Jon Child (Welwyn) ran the ball out of his territory and after a move involving both wings a foot in touch denied a try. However, Herts won the subsequent line out against the throw, drove for the line and skipper Dave Archer (Henley Hawks) touched down for try converted by Gregg. Two minutes later Mark Evans (Old Albanian) chased a kick ahead and forced a Cornish defender to conceded a 5 metre scrum, from which Archer scored his second try with a pick from the back of the scrum. Gregg converted and Herts were 19-12 up

Although there was no more scoring in the remaining 10 minutes of the half, de la Harpe was sin binned for a punch just before the half time whistle.

Hertfordshire won the first scrum of the second half against the head and although the following drop goal attempt went awry, Gregg made amends a minute later when presented with a penalty following a ruck offence. It was now Cornwall's turn to put on some pressure after 10 minutes a fine Westren break set up a scrum inside the Herts 22. Using the scrum ball well, Jess jinked over the line, Scrivener converted and the visitors were only 3 points behind. Although the Cornwall backs continued to look dangerous, solid defence kept them at bay and when Herts were awarded free kick from a scrum just inside the away half, they tapped and drove and Cornwall conceded a penalty, which Gregg converted into points.

Play continued to fluctuate with both sides putting in strong attacks. However Herts did not concede significant penalties defending but after 25 min play Cornwall did and Gregg increased the lead to 9 points. The heat and pace of game produced a number of stoppages and both teams also made full use of their replacements, so as a result there were 10 minutes of "added time". With 15 minutes of actual play left Cornwall closed the gap to two points when a good forward drive produced good ball from which Westren capped his good afternoon with a try under the posts that Paul Thirlby (Redruth) converted. Two minutes later Cornwall infringed 30 metres out and Gregg added the three points.

With a 4 point lead the home side were by no means safe but as the clock ticked on Cornwall needed a try. Twice they kicked penalties for lineouts in the corner and twice the Herts defence held. Herts got a relieving penalty, then a final Cornish attack broke down with a knock on and the defence was looking a bit desperate. However, it proved strong enough and the final whistle came arrived to give Herts victory 31-26 and brought relief to the exhausted players (and spectators).

Hertfordshire can now look forward, with some confidence to their home match against Os=Oxfordshire nest Saturday at Old Albanian RFC, kick off 3.00 pm

Hertfordshire: Kieron Davies (Ampthill); Ian Crompton (Stevenage Town), Jon Child (Welwyn), Ray Adde (Hemel Hempstead), Mark Evans (Old Albanian; Richard Gregg (Old Albanian), Ryan de la Harpe (Letchworth); Ryan Long (Tabard), Tavita Faamausili (Stevenage Town), Simon Carter (Newbury), Adam Amos (Stevenage Town), Robert Dumbleton (Harpenden), Chris Rainbow (Newbury), Ian Hardcastle (Westcombe Park), Dave Archer (Henley Hawks). (Capt).

Replacements: Richard Woodard (Tabard) (Adde 85 min), Paul Welch (Hertford) (Evans 71 min), Adam Gelman (Old Albanian) (Carter 62 min), Matt Cross (Loughborough) (Faamausili 58 min), Jim Remfry (Caldy) (Long 52 min), Billy Johnson (Hertford) (Amos 49 min), Alfie Church (Hertford) (Dumbleton 67 min).