Second successive win for the 3rds.

However, the lads were fully aware that this league offers no easy fixtures and that Hertford would be keen to make amends for the corresponding fixture, last season, when a last kick-of-the-game penalty against the posts saw them lose by 2points.

Weather conditions were atrocious at the kick-off with a howling gale and driving rain making the boys wondere why they had travelled so far from Barnet. The first (wind assisted) kick eluded all 30 players before bouncing into touch on the home 22. The resulting line-out saw the in-form trio - MARK SCRUTTON, IAIAN SUTHERLAND and MAD-DOG - stealing the ball from the usually strong Hertford front pod and thereby setting the pattern for the rest of the game, ably assisted on the BE put-in by immaculate throws by LOUI KYRIACOU and his younger brother SHANE. Thereafter, BE's expansive game plan was their own worst enemy with frequent (and understandable) handling errors putting pay to otherwise promising moves in the bacs. Eventually, BE pressure paid dividend with DAN OUTRAM slotting over 3 points following one of Hertford's numerous ruck offences, the territory having first been taken by a beautiful chip-and-chase by the peerless ALI MACFARLANE (unless its BOBBY reading this, during selection, in which case substitute peerless for useless !).

Not to be outdone, Hertford pulled off a beauty of a move on the half-way line to snd their age-defiant centre over and leave BE rueing their missed chances. A further DAN OUTRAM pemalty saw BE lead 6-5 at half time. Both teams picked themselves up at the break, Hertford rediscovering their running game and BE finally working out how to catch the ball. Despite a cheeky line-out move seeing the home lock run a full 25 metres, the BE line was not seriously threatened in a highly enjoyabnle second half. KIERAN KARA went close on a couple of occasions, firstly by inexplicably being slightly in front of the lightening-quick IAIN SUTHERLAND at the end of beautiful move, well orchastrated by ROBIN BYE and ALI MACFARLANE, and then by narrowly missing DAN OUTRAM's box-kick at full stretch after a salmon-like leap in the home 15. On the other wing, new boy ANANT showed real potential and may have run in a few had conditions been better.

The game was finally won by a CHARLIE WHITEHEAD take from a home line-out now being rash in the face of BE's dominance. Well done to the young lad for makingg it 2 out of 2 and showing up skipper/brother GEORGE. Strong scrummaging by a front five, which included PATRICK K. (back from uni for his first season in years), KARL LAING and PHANOS LOUCA (who was solid in all four positions he played in the game) and clever kicking by DAN OUTRAM as BE eased through the final quaretr. Honourable mentions to SIMON HARRISON, SHAUN HARRIS and ED MACLENNAN who were fault-free throughout, and to anyone else I have missed.

A final word to SHANE KYRIACOU, who spent the whole trip up moaning that he would not be getting 80 minutes, yet promptly was sin-binned when he did take to the field. At least he took two of the Hertford lads in with him. (There must be a moral there somewhere in the tale !).