Photo copyright - Marc Aspland (The Times)

Not since the start of the 2019/20 season had Harpenden started off their season with a win, a draw against Colchester last season and a humbling defeat to Sudbury the season prior were the returns. However, with the home comforts of a sun drenched Redbourn Lane, Harps secured maximum points against a Shelford side that had come second in Regional 1 South East last time out.

The fifteen that took to the field had a fairly familiar look to the one that had recorded nine consecutive league wins at the end of last season with the addition of youngsters Barney Merrett, Declan Murphy and Olamide Sodeke who were making their Harps debuts. It was also, sadly, the final outing for Brendan Venter who returns to his native South Africa after making a significant impact on and off the field over the last six months.

The game couldn’t have started much better for Harps who were one try up before either side had even broken a sweat. With some serious intent, the ball was spread wide following the kick off and Gulliford found some open space and following some quick work by McClean, Attfield broke the line to off load to Murphy who scored less than two minutes into his debut. The conversion from Mann made it 7-0.

Shelford soon found their way into the game, building pressure in the Harpenden half which eventually secured them their first points after a penalty was given away under the posts. Five minutes later the margin was cut to just one point following another Harps indiscretion in the twenty two.

A lack of discipline continued to plague the home side, after an accumulation of penalties led to Ward taking a yellow card for the team. He was very shortly followed to the bin by Murphy who was judged to be guilty of a high tackle.

This two man advantage was mercilessly seized upon by the visitors who quickly moved into the lead after finding their way into space on the right hand side to make the score 7-13 once the conversion had been kicked. Harps couldn’t stem the tide, shortly afterwards another seven point score was added from short range to put Shelford 7-20 in front.

Once back to a full complement, Harps were soon back in the Cambridgeshire side’s territory, with Mann slotting a penalty kick on the stroke of the halftime to reduce the deficit to ten points.

Following a cagey start to the second period it was Harps who struck first. Following a twenty two drop out Harps attacked from inside their own half with Merrett and Sturley making ground before Murphy got his hands on the ball and like some kind of pinball wizard bounced off and evaded multiple would-be tacklers, to score a remarkable try that made the score 15-20. Within a matter of minutes Murphy had completed his hat-trick, this time as a recipient of some tremendous interplay between Merrett, Sims and Attfield who popped the ball inside for his second try assist of the day. Mann’s conversion made it 22-20

This phenomenal purple patch from the men in black continued with Shelford unable to get a foothold into the second half. Boynes was the man to extend the lead further, following a tidy set move from the forwards, Francis gave him the ball in enough space to dive over in the corner. The touchline conversion from Mann made it twenty two unanswered points from the home side in a remarkable twenty minute period.

Shelford eventually got their second half points tally going after they seized upon a loose ball in their own twenty two and showed a clean set of heels to go the seventy five metres to the line to set up a grandstand finish with the score poised at 29-27.

The final fifteen minutes was a tense affair with the heat starting to take its toll on the players. With just under ten minutes left on the clock Mann took the opportunity to extend the lead from a penalty under the posts to give Harps a 32-27 lead, and despite the intense pressure of the visitors in the closing stages Harpenden were able to see the game out and secure five points in the first day of the Regional 1 South East season.

Harps travel to Sudbury next week for a 3pm kick off, the Suffolk side recorded an excellent win away from home against Bedford Ath, so as tough a game as ever is expected at Whittome Field.

Harpenden:
Campion, Sims, Rolfe, Lacey, Sodeke, Merrett, Attfield, Ward, Murphy, Mann, Shaw, Venter, McClean, Gulliford, Boynes.
Reps:
McKenzie-Cardy, Sturley, Francis