Bizarre ending but still gained losing bonus point.

They were trailing 10-13 with a quarter of an hour left when the referee decided it was too dark to continue and asked both Captains if they wanted to adjourn to the next pitch which had floodlights. The match rules state that, in such circumstances, especially after 65 minutes, the referee should blow for no-side and the result stands, in which case the 1st XV had earned their losing bonus point. The re-start, on a sloping pitch, was with a home penalty and Cheshunt immediately scored a converted try. That increased their lead to 20-10 so BE were denied a bonus, at that stage. In the last minute, however, BE were awarded a penalty in mid-field about 25 metres out and, initially, they were going to kick to the corner and seek a driving line-out move to achieve a try (and possible goal): instead, and the reverse of the scenario in the England v Wales RWC match, their Captain, JAMES ORAM, over-ruled the kicker and told him to have a pot at goal which he did and the penalty goal gave BE the narrower deficit and the point. (Memo to future England Captains: listen to James Oram in future!).

It did not look promising in the first half, which Cheshunt dominated although both teams dropped the ball or slid around the pitch. An early home penalty was cancelled out by one from GLYN BAYLEY although the same player missed an absolute sitter later. Cheshunt benefitted from the slippery conditions when BE failed to ground the ball in their own in-goal area, knocking on in their in-goal area and not reacting quickly before a home forward dropped on the loose ball for a try - that was converted and so was a later penalty so BE trailed 3-13 at half time although that should have been 6-13 if BAYLEY had not missed that simple penalty kick straight in front of the posts.

In the second half, BE had more control of the game, especially in their pack and also in the line-out where JAMES ORAM and CHRIS BLOMILEY won good clean ball. It was CHRIS BLOMILEY who deservedly scored BE's try, which was converted by GLYN BAYLEY, that meant there was only three points between the teams. Moreover, BE had the momentum and looked as if they were the more likely to score next, even when KIERAN PORTER was sin-binned for an innocent movement of the hands (earlier, SEAN BLAKE had also been given ten minutes in the bin). Despite being down to 14 men, BE still fancied their chances which suddenly seemed dim by comparison after the switch in pitches but at least the point was salvaged in the end.