Another League win without a bonus point.

The 1st XV struggled, at times, to overcome tenacious oppositions and only managed their third try close to the final whistle. Despite a spirited effort, to salvage the fourth try bonus point, in the closing moments, they were denied this and so remain in fourth place although have dropped one point behind the third place team.

For the first 10 minutes, BE barely put a hand on the ball as Cheshunt swarmed all over the place, without ever really creating any scoring chance. So, it was not until the 12th minute, in their first serious attack, that BE went ahead when CHARLIE MAYS kicked an easy penalty although this was his only success at goal. Just before the kick-off, he had proved to Coach BOBBY GRAHAM that he was fit to play - in the warm-up, PETER MOULTON was standing in at stand-off - but, with hindsight, this might not have been the correct decision although CHARLIE MAYS still played his part in open play but was wayward with his goal kicking. A full 10 minutes after the first score, BE scored again with a fine flowing move, starting with ROBBIE CAMERON-STAFF down the left wing before the ball was cycled across to the right wing and back inside where ADRIAN TODD swept through the Cheshunt defence for a fine try. Unfortunately, the "easy" conversion was missed.

It was never possible to put away Cheshunt as they came back, time and time again, to make it awkward for BE and they narrowed the deficit with a penalty goal. It took until late in the first half before the BE forwards rumbled in their usual way - as last week, MATT GREENWOOD was the instigator in the lineout as he leapt for the ball to set up a rolling maul which, once again, LLOYD MORGAN controlled at the back of the advancing BE pack and he finished off the move with a deserved try.

The second half was a bit of a blur with no direction from either side, despite some individual attempts to put life into the game: BE never took full advantage of the clean lineout ball being won in the lineouts whilst normally reliable players, with good handling skills, spilt the ball or send wayward passes. The Hertfordshire referee used his common sense, on a couple of occasions when the forwards had a few fracasses by lecturing the guilty persons and leaving his cards in the pocket - it was not that type of game to be nasty.

The home side left it until the final five minutes to put together another worthwhile forward rolling maul and, again, it was LLOYD MORGAN who touched down on the try line for try number three.

Let's hope for an early Christmas pesent with a bonus point win away to Royston this Saturday: kick-off is slight earlier at 2.15pm as we are now in the winter months.

PGY