Hertfordshire Stags ended their season on a high note by beating Middlesex U20s 46-0 in their RFU National U20 Championship match at Hitchin on Sunday. An outstanding display in the loose combined with aggressive midfield tackling was the key to the home success and Middlesex were given no real opportunity to score.

With plentiful possession in the loose and guaranteed parity in the scrums, the backs finally had ample opportunity to express themselves and but for determined defence by Middlesex, who to their credit never gave up, and some over confidence from the Stags, the score would have been much higher.

Playing with the wind on a tacky pitch the Stags took the early initiative and within 5 minutes Dean Boyle (Bishop's Stortford) had crossed the line from broken play, Joe Clarke (Bishop's Stortford) adding the conversion. Minutes later Middlesex were penalised after a tackle and Clarke increased the lead to 10 points. The home side continued to press and partly maintained their territorial position by positive midfield tackling that either gave them possession or forced the visitors to concede penalties. Under pressure Middlesex soon conceded a 5-metre scrum, from which Josh Corcoran (Hertford) drove over for a try converted from wide out by Clarke. Then five minutes later Middlesex conceded another penalty and Clarke took the home lead to 20 points.

As the game entered the second quarter, Ian Crompton (Stevenage Town) made a searing break through the middle, but he was held on the line and a 5-metre scrum resulted. Then Clarke scooped up a poor Middlesex clearance to score a try that he also converted. The Stags were then called back for a forward pass and as they continued to press yet another infringement by Middlesex saw one of their player visit the sin bin. Then from a tapped penalty the Stags ran, won quick ruck ball and Crompton was over in the corner. However just before half time, Adam Shaw's tackling became over aggressive and he received a red card. With the half time score at 32 - 0, the Stags had to play into the wind with 14 men for the rest of the game.

Middlesex started the second half brightly, but the game soon reverted to the first half pattern. Fine tackling, particularly from Alex Knight (Hertford) in midfield and outstanding loose play led by Corcoran continued to provide the home side with plenty of ball. Camped on the Middlesex line, the Stags declined a couple of kickable penalties, but with the aid of good defence and a couple of handling mistakes, Middlesex held their line. In fact the Stags did not score again until almost midway through the half, when from a line out 10 metres out skipper Chris Forrest (Hertford) was driven over the line for a try, once again converted by Clarke. In the closing stages the Stags used all their replacements, but before the game ended Clarke concluded his day with another seven points as he went over from broken play. That made the final score 46-0 and somewhat made up for the Stag's disappointments earlier in the season.

Hertfordshire Stags: Joe Clarke (Bishop's Stortford); Ian Crompton (Stevenage Town), Adam Shaw (Ampthill), Alex Knight (Hertford), James Coughlan (Welwyn); Stuart Smart (Hertford), Dean Boyle (Bishop's Stortford); Jack Newman (Hertford), Chris Forrest (Hertford) (Capt), James Alford (Letchworth), Aaron Springham (Bishop's Stortford), Craig South (Hertford), Josh Corcoran (Hertford), Michael Winters (Hertford), Ricky Stevens (Barnet Elizabethans).

Replacements: George Hicks (Watford)(Newman 64 min), Sean McGimmity (Hitchin) (Alford 75 min), Nick Panton (Hitchin) (South 75 min), Stuart Merritt (Hitchin) (Coughlan 75 min).