Watford 19 vs 5 Cuffley

Man of the Match: Leonard Oguntude

Watford moved up to second place in the league after a hard fought 19 – 5 victory over Cuffley. The battle in the forwards was as tough as was anticipated but the home team managed to win this vital area. The first try was scored by outside centre James Betteley after quick ball was recycled by the forwards and feed out to the backs. Betteley made an outside break and showed pace and strength to score the opening points. The conversion was missed to make the score 5 – 0 to Watford. The rest of the half continued with the forwards working hard to give good ball to the backs but good defence by the away team made the half time score 5 – 0 to Watford.
 
The first score of the second half was going to be vital and it was Watford that got it. Good work by the home teams forwards again led to ball being fed to the backs and full back Paul Wilson used his pace to go in for the home team’s second try. The conversion by scrum half Simon Maney made the score 12 – 0 to Watford. A lapse in concentration let the away team in for an unconverted try to make the score 12 -5 to Watford. The home team were starting to dominate in the forwards and fly half Tom Kiely was varying the game by either kicking for territory and making the away team turn and go back or keeping the ball in hand for the backs to attack. The final try of the game came from winger and Man of the Match Leonard Oguntude, who showed great strength in stripping the ball out of the oppositions hands and then used his pace to cut in from the side line and score under the posts. With the conversion kicked by Maney the final score was 19 – 5 to Watford. In what was another hot day the home team acknowledged that they had been pushed all the way for the victory. Captain Simon Maney commented that the spirit shown by the team and refusal to allow the opposition to settle was again the major factor for the win. The teams fitness levels are good and the influx of new players has started to create competition for places which bodes well for the rest of the season.
 
Team: G Wilson, Dunlop, Jones, Mitchell, Moloney, Flint, Smith, Fagan, Maney, Kiely, Bartram, Jenkins, Betteley, Oguntude, P Wilson. Sub Jenner for Flint.
 
Watford’s next game is a friendly at home tomorrow (Saturday) against Hatfield.