Hertfordshire Stags won their final pool match in the RFU National U20 Championship against Middlesex U20 on Sunday at Harpenden by 16 points to 14, but it was not enough to go through to the Divisional play offs. Although they won the two matches they played, the Stags were deemed to have lost 20-0 to Kent U20 because they failed to fulfil the fixture due to injury problems the previous week. That meant that the needed to beat Middlesex by 20 points in order to qualify, so Kent and Middlesex go through to the play offs.

Hertfordshire Stags dominated the early proceedings and soon took the lead with a well struck penalty by Henry Robinson (Letchworth) from 35 metres. In fact Middlesex did not get out of their own half for the first 20 minutes, but the Stags could not capitalise on their pressure despite going close when they knocked on 5 metres out following a deft chip through from fly half Stuart Smart (Hertford) and kicking one penalty attempt just wide of the posts.

At this stage the Stags pack was going well and strong tackling by the back row and threequarters stifled any Middlesex initiative. However the visitors finally broke out of their half when the Stags conceded two successive penalties. Although the home side withstood the first foray, soon after they were penalised on their 10 metre line. Middlesex kicked for a line out 15 metres out, won the ball, drove forward, moved the ball wide then again set up a drive that put hooker Nick Dewland (London Welsh) over for a try in the 30th minute. Sam Katz (London Welsh) converted and, against the run of play, the visitors were ahead.

The Stags did not waste time regaining the lead. From a scrum on the half way line Robinson came swiftly into the line, made a searing break and put right wing Francis Denny (Old Albanian) into space and over the line for a try. However an 8-7 lead at half time was scant reward for all the Stag's territorial advantage.

Middlesex regrouped at half time and throughout the second half gained more possession from both scrum and line out. In the opening minutes they took the lead when left wing Sean Pratt (Finchley) gathered a deft cross kick to score a try that Katz converted. The Stags were soon back in the Middlesex half and forced the visitors to concede penalties. The home side twice elected to scrummage rather than kick and although they did not put on a real push, a blind side snipe from the scrum half resulted in a forward drive that put Sam Barrow (Tabard) over the line. With the conversion missed, the Stags were just one point behind.

Middlesex immediately put in a couple of good running attacks but good pressure defence caused the moves to break down. Then a Middlesex cross kick was covered by the defence and when the Stags counter attacked an obstruction gave them a penalty opportunity. Smart made no mistake with the kick and the Stags were 2 points ahead.

It was nip and tuck through the remaining quarter of the game, but the home defence withstood everything Middlesex could offer and although the Stags put in some lively attacks as well they failed to add to their score. So the Stags remained unbeaten on the field, but disappointed that they couldn't do more thanks to the weather and availability problems that disrupted their season.

Hertfordshire: Henry Robinson (Letchworth); Francis Denny (Old Albanian), Ben de Grandis (Bishop's Stortford), Steve Ellis (Hertford), Kyle Lemon (Stevenage Town) (Jay 66 min); Stuart Smart (Hertford), Elliot Birkbeck (Old Northamptonians); Dan Farenden (Hertford), Mike Skinner (Bedford Academy), Paul Brown (Bishop's Stortford), Sam Barrow (Tabard), Tom Jankowski (Welwyn) (Capt), Joe Lockyear (Hitchin), Dawaynne Hughes Brandt (Hitchin), Torran MacDougal (Hemel Hempstead).

Replacements: Joe Collins (Tring) (Lockyear 40 min), Steve Durning (Hertford) (Skinner 83 min), Dan Calnan (Tabard) (Barrow 73 min), Miles Dempsey (Fullerians) (Brown 73 min), Andrew Boyle (Stevenage Town), Will Jay (Hitchin), Liam Chennells (Tring) (Smart 73 min).