Heroic Herts Defence Wins the Day

Reduced to 14 men after 4 minutes of the second half Hertfordshire defended heroically to eventually beat Cornwall by just four points in their RFU County Championship Cup match at Hertford RFC on Saturday. This was the first time that Hertfordshire had beaten Cornwall in nine attempts and they now have a realistic chance of remaining in the top tier of the Championship for next season

Leading 31-10 early in the second half disaster appeared to strike when Richard Justice (Hertford) received his second yellow card for conceding a penalty, which meant that the home side were down to 14 men for the rest of the game. Cornwall gradually whittled away the lead but although they crossed the line three times only to be held up or knock on, the home defence held through the tense final minutes.

In a fine team performance where everyone played their heart out, the key to victory was in the fine performances by the Old Albanian club pairing at half back and outstanding play from the back row led from the front by the skipper, No 8 Dave Archer (Henley Hawks). The backs made the most of their scoring opportunities and after being on the receiving end of rolling mauls from Devon last week, the pack managed to drive the Cornish pack 15 metres to score a try. Then when Cornwall came back in the second half, the defensive tackling disrupted their back division, which had looked very slick in the early stages, so that they ended playing more as individuals and as such their mistakes mounted and opportunities to win went begging.

Cornwall took the initiative at the start of the match and soon showed their intention of running the ball. Equally the home defence looked sound and when Hertfordshire finally broke out from defence they were the first to get points on the board. After 10 minutes, on their first serious visit to the Cornwall half, the home forwards won a ruck on the Cornish 22, fly half Richard Gregg (Old Albanian) made the break, scored and added the conversion. Shortly after Herts were down to first 14, then 13 men as Ian Hardcastle (Westcombe Park) and Justice were sin binned for killing the ball. Cornwall soon took advantage winning a scrum near the line and putting left wing Matt Jess (Cornish Pirates) over in the corner.

But it was Herts who scored next and before their numbers were restored! They won turn over ball on the half way line, Archer made the initial break and then left wing Adam Roberts (Hertford) sprinted in for the try. Gregg added a fine conversion from near the touch line. Then three minutes later Gregg charged down an attempted Cornish clearance, regathered the ball and was in under the posts. His conversion took the score to 21-5. Herts were still attacking when a lucky bounce gave the ball back to Cornwall in their 22. Their hooker Villi Ma'asi (Cornish Pirates) burst upfield, showing a good turn of speed, and put away wing Jess who went over for his second try. The Herts forwards were now playing well as a unit and from a line out 15m out they drove for the line and put John Sayers (St Albans) over for a try that Gregg converted to make the half time score 28-10.

The second half started well enough for Herts and within two minutes they had added to their score when a Cornish player killed the ball and Gregg struck the penalty from 40 metres. Then disaster struck. Justice was off and Herts faced 35 minutes with only 14 men. Cornwall soon took advantage, firstly Jess was held up over the line then Ma'asi used his pace to score an unconverted try. Peter Coke (Hertford) was soon withdrawn from the fray to be replaced by scrum half Rob Humphrey (Harpenden), which enabled Herts to reshuffle Mark Evans (St Albans) to the wing and Archer back to the pack. After 15 minutes Cornwall reduced their deficit again when fly half Ricky Pellow (Mounts Bay) found a gap to score a simple try and add the conversion.

The gap was now only two scores and there was a long time to go. Cornwall threw everything into attack. They soon crossed the line but knocked on in attempting to score. The Herts forward held a few forward drives for the line. A fine Gregg tackle took the ball out of a Cornishman's hands, as he was about to touch down. Finally after 39 minutes the Herts defence was stretched to the limit and Ma'asi scored his second try and Pellow’s conversion reduced the gap to 4 points. Through 5 nail biting minutes of time added on the home defence held, before the final whistle gave Hertfordshire an historic victory.

Next week Hertfordshire entertain Gloucestershire, who beat Cornwall, but lost to Devon, at Old Albanian RFC, kick off 3.00 pm. and Herts now have a good chance of remaining in the top group.

Hertfordshire Team: Tom Newton (Tring); Richard Justice (Hertford), Ed Orchard (Old Albanian), Paul Welch (Hertford), Adam Roberts (Hertford); Richard Gregg (Old Albanian), Mark Evans (Old Albanian); Ryan Long (Luton), Brent Lemiere (St Albans), Brent Green (St Albans), Peter Coke (Hertford), John Sayers (St Albans), Alfred Church Hertford), Ian Hardcastle (Westcombe Park), David Archer (Henley Hawks).

Replacements: Rob Humphrey (Harpenden) (Coke 54m), Ray Adde (Hemel Hempstead) (Orchard 47m), Richard Woodard (Luton), Simon Banks (Welwyn) (Green 82m), Neil Bamber (Stevenage Town) (Long 58m), Adam Amos (Stevenage Town) (Sayers 69m), David Rose (Bishop's Stortford) (Hardcastle 69m)