Sat 6 Dec 2025
40 minutes of ecstasy for Legends travelling faithful
The Letchworth faithful were rewarded with a pulsating first half of six tries as Legends overwhelmed bottom of the table Old Northamptonians. With the score at 40/5 at the interval the game was really done but all credit to ONs who really battled in the second half, outscoring the visitors by two tries to one and were unlucky not to pick up a bonus point.
Their tactic of aerial kicking may have worked last week against North Walsham but it was clearly a big mistake to kick overlong to probably the most talented back division in this league… and so it proved. An early hoof found speedy full back Brendan Marume whose clever chip put Letchworth deep in the ONs red zone and from the lineout ex skipper Liam Fitts went over.
Then another kick deep to the Letchworth 22 saw a length of the field passing move between Josh Sharp, Max Trimble back from Roslyn Park, and then Brendan Marume zooming in at the corner. Sharp added the extras and, in a superb kicking display, landed all the other conversions in the half. Marume fielded another long kick and quick passing through Chris Gibbs put Charlie Parkhouse through. Then Josh Sharp showed the home side true tactical kicking and from the 50:22 lineout Llewelyn Jones rumbled over… It was bonus point time after only eighteen minutes! Although shell shocked, ONs did rally and a good move from their back division saw winger Kirkman go over in the corner.
However, at this stage Legends were relentless and Mongston took a bad pass on his boot, caught it and fed Josh Parkhouse for the rampant winger to go half the pitch to score in the corner. Sharp himself chipped through and chased the ball to the line but the bounce just eluded him. Still, it was not over as from their drop out the ball was taken again by the Letchworth backs and this time it was Chris Gibbs who skipped over in the corner.
Baz Basra emptied his bench at half time and all three subs put in good performances, as did Mighty Mouse hooker and man of the match Tim Hughes who was at the centre of all that was good.
But the second period was a bit like after Lord Mayors show and ONs changed their approach and tried to keep ball in hand. It certainly worked as the visitors got frustrated and in turn lost the good will of the referee. A period of ONs pressure led to a good try out wide from hooker Jake Diggins. Letchworth worked their way upfield and a typical bullocking run from Josh Parkhouse was just frustrated. Then several drives from the forwards saw pack leader Llewelyn Jones reach over the whitewash to score… or so everyone thought apart from the unsighted referee. At this stage Letchworth leaked several penalties and ON skipper Ben Rivens could not believe his luck as he strode through some weak tackling for a third score.
However, the final word went to Letchworth replacement number eight Adam Green who was at the back of a great scrum rumble to take the final score to 45-17 after ONs full back had been carded for a deliberate knock on.
So the run in to Christmas looks good for Legends who will seek revenge on North Walsham next week before the Christmas beano over at Hertford on the 20th December.
Team from 1: Robinson, Hughes T, Turner, Jones vc, Walker, Mongston, Fitts, Lewis, Aviss, Gibbs, Parkhouse C, Trimble, Parkhouse J, Marume.
Replacements: Green, Mc Gown, Reeves
