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The Greens will lament results earlier in the season as this convincing win over Cheshunt looks to have cemented them in third place.
Datchworth were at their best for the first twenty minutes, and secured the lead with Mark Holgate going over under the posts. Andy Tarsey added the extras before further slotting a penalty to see Cheshunt 10-0 down.
Cheshunt’s pack were effective in the scrum, but their Datchworth counterparts were nimbler around the park and stronger in the loose with Paul Broadwood and Rob Botterman making life difficult for the home side. The back row trio of Holgate, Matt Francis and Anthony Stone effortlessly spoilt Cheshunt’s attacks as the forwards’ superior fitness and experience shone through. Prop Jae Pearse produced his best performance of the season, solid in the set pieces and putting in big tackles whenever he found himself out wide in defence.
The villagers increased the lead after more pressure. Datchworth’s backs seemed to be off the boil with ball in hand, yet they still made good progress resulting in a scrum on the Cheshunt 5m line. With the pushover try in their minds, Cheshunt gave their all to spoil the scrum, wheeling it clockwise and infield. Francis was able to pick and go just before the referee would be looking to call a reset, and a weak tackle let him through for the score. Tarsey missed the conversion but Datchworth were looking for a huge scoreline.
With conditions favouring a forward biased game, Datchworth used their experience and a series of rolling mauls to move upfield once more. Chesunt made a couple of turnovers but Datchworth’s back line proved faultless in defence throughout the first half and possession was always recovered quickly, and Tom Wood kicked the Greens out of any danger. A series of surges by the forwards saw a mass of bodies over the Cheshunt line, most of them in green. Rob Botterman, as usual, surfaced clutching the ball as Datchworth snared another 5 points.
The second half began with Datchworth continuing the forward game, but the backs started to show glimpses with Joe Richardson and Tarsey making useful breaks at wing and outside centre respectfully.
Having put in a solid performance marshalling the defence, inside centre Ian Reid suffered a blow to the kidneys and had to retire to the sidelines. The resulting reshuffle in the backline lost Datchworth some momentum, and the Greens sat back as Cheshunt attacked. Repeated mistakes by the home side saved Datchworth conceding a score for a good 10 minutes, but it was only a matter of time. With the visiting crowd urging their side to wake up, Cheshunt took advantage of this lapse and their backs showed some quick hands to score out wide.
It was obvious from Datchworth’s body language that they needed to be shaken up, and another Cheshunt try did just that. With the conversion going over, the score was a lot tighter at 20-12, and the home side had started asking questions of a Datchworth team that were so dominant in the first half.
Datchworth picked up the pace and with this resurgence started to find holes in the Cheshunt line. Andy Tarsey broke through and touched down under the posts, which he managed to convert to give his side a cushion. Back to their best for the final 10 minutes, they made sure Cheshunt never got back in the game, powerful drives from Holgate, Botterman and substitute John Scarratt stretched the defence as the backs piled in to assist.
With a penalty just before the last play of the game, Tom Wood put Datchworth in the corner. A well worked lineout and a further penalty saw a ruck form just metres from the line. Anthony Stone saw the lack of a guard and strolled through to gently place the ball down for a final score.
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