Watford 2nd XV 22 v 17 Cheshunt 3rd XV

Man of the Match: Alex Ford

Watford 2^nd  XV 22 v 17 Cheshunt 3^rd XV            

Watford 2^nd XV kicked off their league campaign with a hard fought victory over Cheshunt 3rds by 22 points to 17.

From the off the intentions were clear from both sides, they both wanted nothing less than a win and no quarter was given by either side!

Watford were first to draw blood 10 minutes in with well secured ball from Watford’s pack, Mark Hill like a ferret burrowing into the ruck, quickly got the ball out down the line, some strong running from Paul Wilson managing to break the tackle and offload, some great passing down the line meant quick ball for Alex Ford, who ducked, dipped, dodged and dived one tackle after another, to touch it down in the corner! 5-0

Chesunt were not going to take this lying down, some 20 minutes passed with hotly contested scrums and rucking, Cheshunt pack were much larger, but what Watford’s forwards lacked in size, they made up for in spirit.  Some great tackles by Georgio Pitsialis, and James Dorricott helped, but Cheshunt finally managed to answer back with a converted try.  5-7

This seemed to fire Watford up, and the riposte was swift and just as clinical, a storming run by veteran Fullback Pete Jenkins, and fabulous link up play with Richard Munday, Sam Harvey, directed by the maestro Tom Keily, let Watford’s chorus line of backs dance through the opposition, for Alex Ford to score his second try of the day before half time! 10-7

The second half Watford rang some changes with Paul Godfrey joining Gary Bridge to become the most tanned 2^nd row in the league, and Aron C and Dean Goward also coming on.  It was a strong battle up front, and the ruck, scrum and line outs were a gladiatorial contest, but the penalty count against Watford, allowed Cheshunt to gain the upper hand, and break through.  With some great defending by Watford, Cheshunt managed to get over the line only to be held up valiantly by Laurence (Sanchez) Philpott.

Cheshunt hungry for the points denied, again tested the Watford stoic defence, this time finding a chink in their armour, and scoring. 10-14

This spurred Watford on, again some charging runs in the forwards from the likes of Luke “Raging Wildebeest” Bees and Aron C, and with some dynamic play orchestrated by Tom Keily, Tom was able to put one over Cheshunts line! This was deftly converted by Sanchez. 17-14

Too many times Watford had to answer back with tries after Cheshunt had scored, this time they weren’t doing the answering, Watford were asking the questions of Cheshunt, superb lines of running and support led to Greg Reeve finding the try line for Watford to go up, 22-14

In the dying minutes of the game Watford had conceded a penalty 5 metres out of their try line, which Chesunt kicked to end the game. 22-17

Speaking from the oxygen tent with the St Johns Ambulance, Captain James Sedgley said after “It was an evenly fought game, and I’m proud of all my lads, we have a long, and difficult journey in the league ahead, but we have taken the first step, an it was a goodun”

Watford 2nd XV -

Sedgley, Pegg (Bees 50), Philpott, Bridge, S.Hill (Collony 40) , Godfrey, Pitsialis, Dorricott, M.Hill, Keily, P.Wilson, Munday, Harvey (Goward 40), Ford, Jenkins (Reeve 60)

Tries: Ford x 2, Keily x 1, Reeve x 1,

Conversions: Philpott x 1. 

Man of the Match: Alex Ford