Watford 31 - 0 Chess Valley

Watford went into their first home league of the season knowing that a win was vital after the previous weeks defeat. The fact that it was against local rivals Chess Valley put an extra edge to the game as the visitors also lost their first game. Direct from the kick off Watford went on the attack and were camped on the visitors try line. It looked as if the home team were going to open the scoring when the ball was spilled and the visitors somehow managed to hack the ball clear which resulted in the home team conceding a line out close to their own try line. Watford manage to repel the efforts of the visitors and through good work by the forwards the ball was spun out to the backs and centre Peter Cox opened the scoring by going over in the corner and having the presence of mind to take the ball behind the posts for an easy conversion by scrum half Simon Maney.

The visitors kicked off but the ball did not travel the required distance so Watford opted for a scrum from the half way line. A fine break by number 8 Mark Patterson was carried on by his supporting back row colleague Mark Chapman who galloped down field and drew in the full back to give a perfect pass to supporting flay half Ian Butcher who touched down under the posts for another easy conversion by Maney.

Watford really wanted to make the pressure tell which resulted in a kickable penalty being turned down for a kick to the corner. From the line out the home team were awarded a scrum and the pressure was applied for number 8 Patterson to touch down and get his first score of the season in the left hand corner. The conversion was missed to make the half time score 26 – 0 to Watford.

At half time captain Peter Nelson emphasised that the game was not won yet and that he wanted a big effort to make sure that the visitors did not cross the home teams try line. The hosts kicked off the second half with the wind in their faces and were expecting the visitors to use the strong wind to their advantage. However the game did not go that way and ball won by the forwards was shipped out to the backs where returning centre Quintas Van Bosch was enjoying running into space and the passing to the supporting full back Peter Jenkins and winger Leon De Klerk.

As hard as they tried the home team could not get on the scoreboard again due to the final pass going astray and some scrambling defence by the visitors. On the odd occasion that Chess did get near to Watford’s try line good defensive work epitomised by debutant winger Russell Banton who proved that he could defend as well as he had attacked prevented the home team’s line being crossed. Mid way through the half Watford made 2 further substitutions with scrum half Maney being replaced by Jamie Traxon and winger Banton replaced by Andy Kiely.

A further break by the Watford backs lead to the home team’s next try. Pressure by the forwards led to replacement scrum half Traxon having a go at the line where he was held up. The ball came back and prop Trevor Hickey managed to get over the line and ground the ball. The conversion was missed by Butcher which made the score 31 – 0 to Watford. The rest of the game became a bit scrappy with both teams knowing that the result was assured now. Special mention should be given to hooker Danny Vincent for stepping in late in the day. The final whistle went and the home team were glad to have got their first league victory of their season after last years promotion, which condemned the visitors to their second defeat of the season.

Team: Hickey, Vincent, Nelson(c), Moore, Stevens, Sharpe, Chapman, Patterson, Maney, Butcher, De Klerk, Cox, Van Bosch, Banton, Jenkins. Subs Bridge, A Kiely, Traxon all used.