Bishops Stortford Vths travelled to Watford for the opening league game of the season. The sun was still shining from the previous week, and if anything the weather was hotter and ground was harder. The usual motley collection of youth and experience travelled to Watford, and found themselves facing a very youthful and highly energetic opposition team. After the usual comments about the aged composition of the Stortford team from the 30 somethings towards the 40 somethings (and more), we were ready to kick off.
The game started in a very tight fashion for the first quarter. However the strength of the Stortford team started to tell and by the end of the first half the Vths were 19-0 ahead, having run in three tries and putting over two conversions. The most spectacular of the three tries has to the 30 yard run by Steve Drew into the corner. As ever the opposition were left agog at the sight of the fast moving front row dwarf as he scythed into the corner. Having started less effectively than we would have wished, it was very pleasing to be 19-0 up by half-time.
However the start of the second half led to some significant changes in the balance of the game. Some clever substitutions by Watford saw a clear rebalancing of the forward game, and Watford started to make some real progress both in scrums and in open play. Very quickly the score had changed from 19-0 to 19-14 as Watford ran in two good tries and converted one. The game then moved into a period of real to and fro between the two sides. Tempers became frayed and the importance of the game of rugby to both sides was clear for all to see. Bishops Stortford scored again to lead 24-14, and then Watford replied again to bring the scores back to within five points at 24-19 to Stortford. The game was then very close for the last ten minutes. Bishops Stortford spent the last five minutes camped down in the Watford 22, but some excellent Watford defending (and a few ridiculous handling / tactical errors by Stortford) saw the game played out to a 24-19 victory for Stortford.
The two teams spent a good post match period together, and the various awards for both best and worst players on both teams were given out by the captains in a joint ceremony. An excellent start to the season for the Might 5ths in the league.
Click on the flickr logo to see the photos from the game.
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