The recent wet weather had rendered the Borehamwood side’s Croxdale Road pitch unplayable so the AGP at Redbourn Lane provided the perfect venue for the two sides to play out what as ever was an entertaining fixture.

The final score belies the tightness of the early exchanges with neither side managing to gain the ascendancy amidst a number of scrappy passages of play. Harpenden had a slim 3-0 lead to show for their efforts after 20 minutes on the clock.

However, as the half wore on the home side (or away side playing at home) managed to seize on the opportunities that presented themselves and in their first two meaningful visits to the Habs 22 they came back with two scores first from Atkinson who shrugged off two would be tacklers to score in the corner and then Speirs who barged his way through the middle to score under the posts. It was then the opportunity of scrum half Gulliford to get himself on the scoresheet following a pinpoint kick to touch from McClean.

At 24-0 was a scoreline that was somewhat flattering to Harps as much of the game was being contested in the central third of the pitch. With half time beckoning Habs engaged their most potent weapon, a kick to the corner from a penalty and a highly effective rolling maul. Seven points handed them some hope going into the second half.

In the second period Harpenden started with an intent that prevented the glimmer of hope becoming a reality, once again they were clinical with chances that came their way. Kaden Pearce-Paul smashed through a number of defenders to record the first score of the half. Then arguably the best move of the match saw the ball move through multiple sets of hands before Goode handed the scoring pass to Sims to score his second try in two matches.

Harry Charlier then got amongst the scorers as Speirs offloaded the ball following one of his numerous rampaging carries to give the substitute the easiest of finishes.

Old Habs were in no mood to take their now inevitable defeat lying down and their indefatigable desire to keep the ball moving was starting to yield results with some decent yardage and upfield momentum. It was the quality of their maul however that gave them two further well earned tries. Harpenden were to have the last say though, Alex Tait waved to the defenders as he passed them on the scenic route round the outside to the try line, Ollie Mann added the conversion as the clock reached eighty minutes and Harps reached fifty points.

Harpenden: Campion, Bloisi, MacKenzie-Cardy, Lacey, Pearce-Paul, Brownlie, Speirs, Goode, Gulliford, Mann, Atkinson, Wilkinson, McClean, Tait, Sweeney.
Reps: Sims, Charlier, Pennell