Sat 23 Nov 2019
Did I mention rollercoasters last week? Well this one certainly was a fairly rickety ride with ultimate frustration for the Legends down at Camelot on Saturday. From being nearly dead and buried at half time the team roared back to within four points of the home side before leaking a needless last Hemel try. Things were not helped by the continued absence of ball carrying skipper Sean Flatman and the no show of acting captain Johnny Brain. A hamstring injury to Barney Dunscombe in the warm up caused further disruption and losing front rower Paddy Allen after ten minutes meant the side was under the cosh from the off.
However Legends weathered the early Hemel onslaught with great defence and good discipline before the backs broke up field. At 0/0 they won a penalty in front of the posts but inexcusably took a quick one and whilst under the Hemel posts a wild pass was read like an early learning book by the Hemel Hempstead winger who sprinted the full length of the field to score under the Letchworth posts and instead of 3/0 to the visitors it was 7/0 to Camelot.
This infused the home side who added a further two tries and a penalty against a lone Johal penalty. Then a yellow card for Joe Allison, enjoying a good game in the absence of Brain, increased the visitors woes. However a great break by the backs saw Johal go over for an unconverted try on the stroke of half time to make it 22/8.
With the slope and slight advantage of elements in the second half it was to be hoped Letchworth could pull nearer to Hemel but instead from the kick-off, which was not gathered properly, Hemel scored yet another seven points to go 29/ 8 ahead. However the visitors did now show their gritty nature as they began to gain dominance up front. The backs with more ball looked dangerous and prop Oscar Robinson put in some impressive runs. From one of these after the restart Johal threw a long pass to Gurure and the winger plunged over to make it 29/13 and provide a glimmer of hope.
From a great backs move which shredded the home defence a Hemel defender deliberately impeded a try scoring pass and the referee awarded a penalty try to the visitors. When the Letchworth pack then drove over from five metres out it was really game on and Hemel were now on the rack. Unfortunately the kick shaved the post in what was to be a costly miss.
It was now 29/25 and Letchworth very much in the ascendancy. From the restart the Letchworth backs had plenty of time just to bang the ball deep again into the Hemel half and keep them pinned down in their own 22 ... so why oh why did they try to run it out of their own 22 getting the ball turned over? Five minutes later Hemel scored another soft try to make it 34/25 and almost too late for Legends to do anything about it.
In the last few minutes another great shove by the pack saw the referee award Legends their second penalty try and in near darkness the Hemel players and spectators were twitching nervously in several areas. However there was just not enough time for Letchworth to do further damage and a joyful home side banged the ball into the November gloom to bring the coaster to a juddering halt. Two bonus points for Legends but with just a bit more luck and nous it should have been five.
Time to make amends in the home cup game against Welwyn next week ... kick off at 2pm before tough league games with Hackney and Luton in December.
Meanwhile the seconds made hay at Legends Lane beating Hatfield by a whopping 75/10 score with many good performances from Sam Moat’s men.
There is a lunch at 12.15 next Saturday and all diners are asked to phone BRIAN BURKE on 07768 274037 to book their place.
Team:
Robinson
Hughes K
Allen
Brierley
Alison
Jones
STACEY
Charlier
Gibbs
Johal J
Johal Aman
Johal Arun
Gurure
Davies K
Mellor
Schoeman
Hughes G
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