Hendon

Hendon

The Old Ashmolean RFC (27) - (3) Hendon RFC

Following an impressive friendly performance against Windsor, The Old Ashmolean RFC 1st XV embarked on their opening league game. After their promotion to Herts/Middlesex 2, the young side that has developed well over the past few seasons were looking for a strong start. Adding fuel to the fire was the fact that Hendon had been the only side to impose a league defeat on the moles in the previous season. Although Ashmole were confident, they were well aware that a below par performance could damage their challenge before it had even begun.

The opening stages were dominated by a referee's whistle, which had possibly been a present and was having its first outing. Ashmole were constantly thwarted from playing their brand of running rugby by penalties, one of which was ably converted by the Hendon scrum half who showed that although his passing may not be his strength his goal kicking certainly was.

Thankfully, the resulting kick off was snatched from the air by Craig Payne, now playing on the openside, and as the play developed Ashmole worked their way beneath the Hendon posts before some good hands from the forwards resulted in Payne diving over to finish what he had started. The half continued with more frustration as Ashmole repeatedly broke the Hendon defence but failed to find the necessary precision to finish off their moves. One exception was a well-worked score, which was polished off by the right winger after the inside backs had shown both imagination and handling ability. This score, allied to some neat forward interchanges showed that Ashmole had the players to trouble Hendon, however the lack of structured phase play was proving as irritating as the new shiny whistle.

The rest of the game followed a similar pattern, with Hendon defending well but failing to provide a genuine threat to the Ashmole try line. Second half tries from Captain Neal Grainger, Johan Van Dyke and No. 8 Tarron Miller put the game beyond doubt as Hendon's defence capitulated.

The Moles will be relieved to have their first league win, although their claws will need further sharpening if they are to challenge for yet another promotion. In the words of Coach Emile Hertz, “That was awful!” and in the words of this writer, “A win's a win!”


	Hendon \| Mill Hill \| Hemel Hempstead \| Chess Valley \| Grammarians \| Old Haberdashers \| Royston \| Chelmsford \| Old Haberdashers \| Chess Valley Semi Final \| HERTS TROPHY CUP FINAL \| Mersea Island Hendon The Old Ashmolean RFC (27) - (3) Hendon RFC Following an impressive friendly performance against Windsor, The Old Ashmolean RFC 1st XV embarked on their opening league game. After their promotion to Herts/Middlesex 2, the young side that has developed well over the past few seasons were looking for a strong start. Adding fuel to the fire was the fact that Hendon had been the only side to impose a league defeat on the moles in the previous season. Although Ashmole were confident, they were well aware that a below par performance could damage their challenge before it had even begun. The opening stages were dominated by a referee's whistle, which had possibly been a present and was having its first outing. Ashmole were constantly thwarted from playing their brand of running rugby by penalties, one of which was ably converted by the Hendon scrum half who showed that although his passing may not be his strength his goal kicking certainly was. Thankfully, the resulting kick off was snatched from the air by Craig Payne, now playing on the openside, and as the play developed Ashmole worked their way beneath the Hendon posts before some good hands from the forwards resulted in Payne diving over to finish what he had started. The half continued with more frustration as Ashmole repeatedly broke the Hendon defence but failed to find the necessary precision to finish off their moves. One exception was a well-worked score, which was polished off by the right winger after the inside backs had shown both imagination and handling ability. This score, allied to some neat forward interchanges showed that Ashmole had the players to trouble Hendon, however the lack of structured phase play was proving as irritating as the new shiny whistle. The rest of the game followed a similar pattern, with Hendon defending well but failing to provide a genuine threat to the Ashmole try line. Second half tries from Captain Neal Grainger, Johan Van Dyke and No. 8 Tarron Miller put the game beyond doubt as Hendon's defence capitulated. The Moles will be relieved to have their first league win, although their claws will need further sharpening if they are to challenge for yet another promotion. In the words of Coach Emile Hertz, “That was awful!” and in the words of this writer, “A win's a win!”