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Watford commenced their Merit Table fixture against local rivals Chess Valley playing with a slight wind on what was in places a very heavy pitch. The first half was a war of attrition with an early Chess close range score leading to a fiercely contested stalemate. Chess had the slightly bigger and more experienced pack, though the home side were always competitive, more mobile and playing with flashes of creativity. Watford were keen to keep the ball alive wherever possible and caused a Chess a few problems with attacks launched deep in their own half, it was one of these stemming from a well angled kick that enabled pacy winger Alex to score in the right hand corner after a chase with his opposite number.
The conversion was missed and the teams turned around five points apiece at the interval. Comiserations must go to Watford winger Stuart Gillies who had to leave the fray after five minutes after a nasty looking injury causing an internal cut in his mouth. The back division was disrupted further when his replacement (and tryscorer) Peter Jenkins had to leave the fray after a back injury as did Watford's number 9 with a leg injury. Ultimately flanker Gary Bridge had to move to inside centre to accommodate the changes.
I think Chess opened the scoring in the second half with a short range try after repeated phases on the Watford left. Poor tackling resulted in the score and the conversion took them seven points ahead of the home side. Almost immediately Watford started playing some rugby and ran the ball back from a deep Chess kick into their half, they managed to recycle through several rucks before left wing Tucker was able to burst down his flank and managed to pop it inside to Peter Jenkins who grounded under the posts. The conversion was added making the scores again level 12-12.
Watford continued to dominate and fly half Andy Kiely strolled in unopposed after a cheeky turnover near the Chess line. The conversion was not added though another five pointer soon was when a long period of sustained attacking led to both Watford props being in the threequarters near the Chess line. Gary Wilson who probably could have scored himself passed to his supporting winger Alex who scored a simple touchdown.
This took the score to 22-12 to Watford who were running the ball whenever possible and seemed in command as the heavier Chess forwards were beginning to tire. Indeed another fine attack down the Chess right looked like it might lead to a try when with an overlap the pass went to the Chess fly half who ran three quarters of the length of the pitch unopposed to score in the corner. Even more deflating for Watford was the fact that the virtual touchline conversion was slotted home meaning that a team who were almost coasting were now only three points ahead of their rivals.
Clarke who was now playing at scrum half had the chance to increase the lead to six points with about 10 minutes remaining, though agonisingly the kick went wide. After a lack of discipline Chess were soon awarded a kickable penalty of their own which they gratefully accepted to level the scores. In the last frantic minutes Watford who were dominant 15 minutes earlier were now straining every muscle to nervously defend their share of the points, which they just about managed to do.
In the final analysis a draw was probably a fair result in what was a well contested but largely scrappy contest. However Watford did outscore Chess by four tries to three, and if the interception had been missed could have easily found themselves with an unassailable lead of 27 - 12 with only 15 minutes of the contest remaining. This was of no consolation to the Watford players who must have felt that the drawn result felt like a defeat. The three injuries and numerous reshuffles didn't help though Watford need to be able to play the rugby they can for the full 80 minutes not just in short spells.
Watford - Vincent, Hicks, Wilson, Govier, Sharpe, Bridge, Hassett, Ainslie (c), Stiffy (Tucker 40), A. Kiely, Gillies (Jenkins 5, Patterson 50) Clarke, T. Kiely, Alex, Frankish.
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