Sat 10 Jan 2026
It is games like this that coined the cliche, ‘a game of two halves’. Letchworth played their way to 0 v 40 at the 46th minute with a well-worked try from Luke Mongston, a line-out switch and some powerful running. This inspired a COBRA meeting under the Sudbury posts, and their attack was unleashed. In just over 20 minutes Sudbury scored five tries, winger Bryant scoring the first.
Sudbury started with the usual drive, drive, and kick-chase – but no tackle; Gibbs fielded, Mongston switched, crashed through the middle, Aviss fed Sharp, whose pass was high which delayed Asiedu who was held but fed back to Trimble, Sharp tipped to Mongston, two rucks later, Trimble broke free, fed Parkhouse who was dragged down five meters short. Aviss fed Parkhouse, who was bundled into touch in the act of scoring. Sudbury were reeling under the pace, power and movement of a well-coached, skillful and talented Letchworth team.
Sudbury only stemmed the score through their line-out, otherwise the amount of possession presented to Sharp would have completely overwhelmed them. Legends scored every four or five minutes. After Kwaku Asiedu had made ground from a standing start, Jones picked at the ruck and scored unopposed. Sharp converted. His kicking was exemplary, converting five from six and taking a penalty when, after conceding 29 unanswered points, a change in momentum was required.
Letchworth continued to score through Josh Parkhouse, Chris Gibbs, Max Trimble and Kwaku Asiedu. Eventually Legends won a clean lineout; Sharp combined with Trimble, who unloaded to Parkhouse to score under the posts. Sudbury continued to scrap but each time Legends had forward possession they scored. From the restart Mongston moved the ball long to Sharp, Trimble broke the cover, Gibbs took the ball on his ten meters line and cut inside to score. After some midfield exchanges, Sharp chipped for Parkhouse who gathered, slipped inside to Trimble whose pace left the cover gasping. Sudbury showed some invention and kicked ahead, but an unfortunate bounce took the ball away from wing Bryant and Legends cleared. Again, Sudbury kicked to recover but lost the ball in the tussle. On the ball Legends exerted their power, driving over the gain line giving Sharp space and time. He passed long to Asiedu, who brushed off one tackle and burst through another running forty meters to complete a half during which Sudbury attacked, lost possession for Letchworth to score.
It looked like more of the same when Mongston made it 0 v 40 in the 44th minute. In the second quarter Sudbury had been disrupted by two yellow cards, wing Atherton and scrum half Leeson. On 45 minutes coach Baz Basra brought on some fresh legs, McGowan for Mongston and Fawsett for Asiedu. At 57 minutes Walker replaced Fitts, at 65 Parkhouse was yellow carded, and Asiedu returned for the injured Gibbs.
During this twenty-minute period and with a change of tactics Sudbury began to run at a retreating defence and the middle opened up. Sudbury’s forwards took responsibility and put their team on the front foot. Gibbs fumbled a kick (he was surely taken out as he attempted to recover) and Sudbury regained possession; the ball went wide, and Bryant took his opportunity.
The positions were reversed, William Hammerton at 12 skipped through several defenders and despite a thumping tackle from Sharp got the ball to Atherton who ran in. Sudbury began to utilise the ball to better effect, Jake Sumner grubbed through, but Hammerton’s try was disallowed, deemed offside. Sumner made several more breaks, and his team responded as Legends were caught in doglegs. Rust was put in space, and he trotted over. Sumner continued his one-man revival creating havoc by breaking tackles, his pack rucked close range, and no 8 Cowling bruised his way over followed by prop forward Dain four minutes later. With ten minutes remaining, a revival was in prospect.
While Bryant had his skates on to score his try, he kept them on to kick at goal and converted just two from five otherwise the score would have been 35 v 40 leaving Legends to hold on for ten minutes with Sudbury having all the play and momentum. However, the Legends settled and on seventy-one minutes Sharp sensibly converted a penalty from in front of the posts to stem the flow. Legends held on to win 29 v 43.
Other results went pretty much to form but with Amersham&Chiltern, (Letchworth’ s next opponents at Legends’ Lane on Saturday 17th KO 1500), winning convincingly at home to North Walsham 22 v 3. Five more points leaves Legends six points behind leaders Colchester who were almost overturned by Hertford, who led 14 v 24 at half time but conceded a converted try on 71 minutes to be denied what would have been a magnificent win, Colchester claiming the points winning 40 v 36. Hertford will take this as a very positive step in their efforts to move from bottom place and out of the relegation zone. Huel Tring move to third with their win over Shelford 33 v 56 and Southend Saxons will be disappointed to have lost at Westcliff 24 v 15.
Legends and Letchworth 1924 will have their only joint home matches when Letchworth 1924 take on Chess Valley 1st at 1400 in their first fixture of 2026 in Herts Counties 2.
