One key factor was the break up of the back row, so effective against Devon the previous week, through injury and unavailability. The Herts back three did well enough and even the addition of former skipper Dave Hesketh in second half did not fully compensate for the late withdrawal of injured skipper Dave Archer. The front row was immense, however. Led by stand in skipper Simon Carter the Hertfordshire scrummage dominated their opponents throughout, but were not allowed to take full advantage as the Middlesex pack managed to get away with slowing the Herts drive.

The backs had their moments but at times tried to run the ball out of defence too much, where a few long clearance kicks may have gained more reward. And in the battle for the loose ball Middlesex appeared to come to term with the experimental ruck/maul laws a bit better than their visitors.

The opening exchanges were fairly even and Herts had an early attempt at a long range penalty, but first blood went to Middlesex. After 6 minutes their forwards drove Herts back in the loose and presented good ball for full back Bevan Armitage (Esher) to cross the line for an unconverted try. The game then fluctuated with both side showing enterprise by running the ball out of their territory. Then Herts won good line out ball in midfield and good three quarter play gave Toby Prescott (Tring) room to run in for a try that Kieran Davis (Hertford) converted. Five minutes later, mid way through the half, Middlesex were offside as Herts tried to run the ball from a ruck 30 metres out and Davis increased Herts lead.

Herts looked like keeping the lead until half time, but Middlesex struck back twice in the last five minutes or so of the half. Firstly Richard Mahony (Rosslyn Park) kicked a penalty when Herts were penalised on a ruck on their 22. Then after Herts had got themselves into a promising position, Middlesex ran the ball out of their own half recycled the ball well and put over lock forward Dan Collier (London Welsh) for a try that Mahony converted. So the home side led 15-10 at half time.

Hertfordshire suffered an early blow within a minute of the resumption when fly half Paul Welch was injured in the first tackle and had to be replaced. Twice early in the half Handre Schmidt came off his wing to put in dangerous runs, but the Middlesex defence held. Then it was the home team’s turn to put Herts under pressure and for the next 15 minutes their line was under siege. Middlesex had a series of 5 metre lines out but Herts defended well and had appeared to weather the storm when they infringed at a ruck 30 metres out and Mahony extended the Middlesex lead.

The game was not over though and a few minutes later Davis struck back with a fine penalty from 45 metres out. Herts made good use of their scrummage possession running the ball at the home defence, but could not make the final breakthrough. Their only reward was another Davis penalty when Middlesex were caught offside. Then another promising attack was thwarted by a Middlesex interception, Herts prevented the try - but illegally, Schmidt was yellow carded and Herts last chance had gone.

The final whistle meant that Middlesex remain in top tier to compete in the Bill Beaumont Cup next season whilst Hertfordshire will join Cornwall, Oxfordshire and Eastern Counties in the Shield competition. A disappointing end to the season in which Hertfordshire had played some excellent rugby and created problems for their opposition in all three matches.

Hertfordshire: Kieran Davis (Hertford); Handre Schmidt (Hertford), Steven Small (Hertford), Luke Sloan (Hertford), Jon Child (Welwyn); Paul Welch (Hertford), Toby Prescott (Tring); Simon Carter (Newbury) (Capt), Tavita Faamausili (Stevenage Town), Neil Bamber (Stevenage Town), Adam Amos (Stevenage Town), Andy Johnson (Hertford), Ben Basely (Hertford), Ed Moss (Hertford), Ian Hardcastle (Westcombe Park).

Replacements: Tony Giddings (St Albans), Giles Wallis (Tring), Dave Hesketh (Hertford) (Moss 54 min), Peter Coke (Hertford) (Amos 71 min), Mark Evans (Old Albanian) (Child 71 min), Gareth Lewis (Stevenage Town) (Small 59 min), Richard Woodard (Unattached) (Welch 41 min)