Hertford Termites 52- 14 Hitchin

Hertford is one-club, and with one-club it seems as if you only get one-club reporter – and that club reporter is invariably a Termite.

Apologies to the other Hertford teams that miss out on the insightful objective analysis and considered feedback that is provided through the weekly Ulyssean streams of conscience and aftershave recommendations of Chippy, and apologies to the Termites because Chippy was stricken by some unpleasant unplaying disease this week. He will be back, and in the meantime you will get a different perspective.

Hopefully at some point someone will put their hand up to do the match reports for the other teams, especially the 1st XV; it would be great if someone could put some words to the artistry of Billy Windsock's 1st XV pictures.

As Mike Irwin explained with passion a few weeks ago, the Termites are the social heart of the Club, and it was with open arms on Saturday that we welcomed, after many years of dedication to fancy dress and the 1st XV, one of the most social players in the Club: Dave Archer's retirement from sensible rugby, is definitely social rugby's gain.

We also had the opportunity to play centre stage on the main pitch as we were the only team at home. The extra space on the main pitch can sometimes be a little unforgiving on the Termites, but we had a very strong side this week and an especially effective backline who dominated the scoring with 7 of our 10 tries (but Albon graciously chose not to dominate the kicking, albeit most of our tries had to be scored fairly wide out so some slack could be given if we could be bothered).

Hertford set their stall out from the beginning by trying to keep the ball alive and distributed to the backs as quickly as possible. Eventually Sillito burst through a couple of tackles from close range to open the scoring.

Hitchin came back almost straight away with some good organisation and a break from the backs to score.

We then had to resort to some forward based adversity, as we struggled to get on top of their strong pack. The scrum was very competitive (i.e. hard work for the front five), and we gave a mighty shove from about 8 metres hoping that they would succumb. Archer ended up having to break from 8 to bundle over to score the try.

We then followed up from quick play from a penalty, and the forwards somehow found themselves in wide open spaces as Stacey released Hicks to gallop over.

The backs got in on the action, with the ever pacey Jordan scorching over and Captain Brewer also scoring.

The second half carried on in a similar vein with Donovan scoring twice out wide, one of them following a robust hand-off and a scamper over the line and another initially started by a quick break by the Leeds Gryphon Sam Kasoulis.

Hitchin came back with sustained pressure, particularly through their hard running forwards. That pressure eventually told and the typically obstreperous Hertford defence had to sacrifice Stacey for 10 minutes as he took one for the team. During that period Hitchin scored following a rampage by one of their players who steamrollered the correspondent and used him as a door mat. Thanks.

At some point along the line Archer took a quick penalty and gave Church the difficult task of falling over from 1 metre to score. Albon also decided to pass on his poisoned chalice of a kicking boot to Victor, but he was similarly afflicted and no further kicks were scored.

Following Donovan's impact on the game, he was in serious danger of having to buy a jug for a hat-trick as the dancing Pizzey skipped around a couple of players and with the choice of passing outside to the nervous Donovan or inside to Brewer, he chose to put his Captain over.

One of the highlights of the second half was seeing Max Chambers on the charge, almost like our own Baby Rhino, and making good decisions when the Hitchin cover defence finally got to him. Billy Risley. also got the opportunity to smash the ball up a few times, as a smaller version of the Baby Rhino. Keep up the good work lads.

The day was wrapped up by Sillito running in from 30 metres and then teaching his child about the buffalo rules, and Roberts playing the spoons.

Well done.

Team: Chambers, Thomas, Humphries (Flaherty), Church, Hicks (Alway), Stacey, Kasoulis, Archer; Roberts, Albon, Preece (Risley), Pizzey, Sillitto, Jordan (Donovan), Brewer (c)

Match Reporter: Alfred
(Chippy is away)