Saturday 20th February 2010
Hendon RFC 32 points Harlequin Amateurs 14 points.
Hendon got off to a poor start as they defended the Copthall slope and conceded two sloppy penalties, giving the visitors a six points advantage. Then in their first attack upfield having fended off a continual Quins onslaught, Hendon slotted over a penalty from scrum half Diarmuid Waters. But Quins returned to the Hendon half again, and whilst the home outfit kept up their defence Quins stretched their lead to 3 points to nine with another penalty. Then with the last move of the first half, Hendon were up on the Quins 22 metre line and from a scrum, O'Regan and Lennon drove a maul to the Quins' line and Captain Eric Butler crashed through to score under the posts. This was converted by Waters and Hendon went into the second half with a slender lead of 10 points to nine.
However, after this late success, from the kick off in the second, Quins collected and ran the ball wide on the left flank, catching Hendon on the back foot to score in the corner an unconverted try to take back the lead 10 points to 14. Hendon were still struggling to get into top gear and were forced to defend again for the next 10 minutes when the turning point came. It was Aiden Kelly who then collected a high kick in defence and ran at the oppositon the wing, kicked over his defender, who illegally tackled him without the ball to allow Waters to convert another penalty. This took Hendon within one point at 13 points to 14.
From here on it was all Hendon. After a tap penalty, Hendon went 20 points to 14 up as prop Tony Connor took on three defenders to score, with another successful conversion by Waters. Then from a 10 metre line out Hendon attacked with the ball quickly moved down the back line to winger Voitek Walowicz who went over to score in the corner to put Hendon in complete conral at 25 points to 14. With the game won, Quins were still trying for another score but centre Ryan Owens intercepted on the Hendon 22 metre line to run the length of the pitch to score the fourth Hendon try. Linale converted to finish the coreline at 32 points to 14.
On Saturday 27th October Hendon travel to Old Actonians for a re-arranged League match left over from the snow.
Team:- Chapman, Kelly, Owens, Byrne, Walowicz, Blake, Waters (rep Linale), Julian, Gilbride, Connor, Lennon, Short, Connolly, Butler, O'Regan
Saturday 13th February 2010
Old Abbotstonians 11 points Hendon RFC 32 points
After a disappointing draw last week, Hendon travelled to Hillingdon to play Old Abbotstonians in a Hert Middlesex League One clash.
Hendon, with a squad depleted through injury and work commitments, took some time to settle down as they played with unfamiliar team mates and positions. This enabled Old Abbotstonians to take first blood with an early penalty, but Hendon held out until on the half hour hooker Dave Connell broke from loose play and passed to Helio Vicente to score wide out. Without their front line kicker, Ben Linale, this try went unconverted and then just before half time Old Abbotstonians also scored an unconverted try to lead by eight points to five.
Into the second half Hendon started to gel as a team with centre Ryan Owens going in under posts after a forward drive and slick passing by the backs. This time scrum half Dermot Walters converted and Hendon were back in the lead. The teams then exchanged penalties before Hendon's control began to take effect, with Dave Connell again in the action, scoring a try after a driving maul from his forward pack. This was unconverted but it was not long before Hendon were further ahead with number 8 Brian O'Regan taking the pop pass from a ruck, beating two tacklers and scoring a try under the posts. Dermot Walters again converted.
From then on it was only a matter of time till Hendon added to their score and this time it was open side flanker Aiden Kelly who crossed the line so that Hendon completed a satisfying win to take them up to fifth place in the table.
Team: T Gilbride, D Connell, T Connor, A Doyle, J P Shanahan (rep. C Towndrow), A Kelly, H Vincente, B O'Regan, D Walters, M Blake, W Walowicz, C Byrne, R Owens, M Chapman, J P Cremin.
Saturday 6th February 2010
Hendon RFC 15pts Kilburn Cosmos RFC 15pts
Hendon controlled this game for 60 minutess but let Kilburn climb back to level in the last 5 minutes.
Hendon were uphill in the first half, keeping the visitors in a defensive position. After 10 minutes Linale kicked a penalty for Hendon to go 3 points up. As Hendon's pack maintained pressure, especially through Tony Connor and Chris Towndrow in the front row, a backrow move from Captain Eric Butler to Jamie Connolly to winger Voitek Walowicz to score under the posts brought more points. The try was converted by Ben Linaleand Hendon led by 10points to nil. From the kick off Hendon were upfield again and with the opposition not facing quick thinking from a 22 metre penalty by Ben Linale when he tapped the ball and ran to dive over in the corner. His conversion just went wide so hendon were 15 points ahead. Then just before half time Kilburn slotted over a penalty for a 15-3 scoreline.
Great defence from Kilburn in the second half, kept Hendon from further scores with one held up on the line. Then into the last five minutes with Hendon now on the defensive, the home side felt the onslaught and the visitors got their first try and conversion to make it 15 points to 10. Now with minutes to go Hendons defence collapsed and Kilburn scored in the corner to end the match. This meant a League point apiece with Kilburn staying above Hendon on points difference..
Hendon Team: Connor,Towndrow, Anthony, Doyle, Short, O'Regan, Connolly, Butler ( Capt.), Linale, Blake,Walowicz, Owen, Whittaker, Chapman, Cremin
Saturday 30th January 2010
Hendon RFC 0pts Old Haberdashers 38pts
This was a lamentable display by Hendon, recording their worse defeat of the season and a wake up call that if this sort of performance were to continue then relegation becomes a probability. Even the Hab's Manager commented that Hendon had "not turned up" as his team easily took control and kept their hosts on the back foot.
Haberdashers were the better side and took a 21pt lead in the 1st half, whilst Hendon had their chances but lady luck was also against them with failed penalty kicks and poor handling costing them vital points. After five minutes downhill Hendon were down by a penalty. Hendon then pushed upfield but a penalty chance to level went wide. A Hendon defensive error saw the visitor's heavier pack push over for their first try to go 10 points up. On the half hour Hendon had conceded two further penalties as they struggled in defence. With half time approaching on a rare attacking move they were awarded a very kickable penalty, but again kicked wide. Then another poorly defended long kick from Habs saw their winger score an easy try out wide to take a 0-21 lead.
Hendon on the turnround had the benefit of playing downhill, which on any other day would have put to good use but soon Habs broke through the defence to score under the posts and then followed up with another penalty as they kept Hendon going backwards to take the score 0-31.
Hendon in the last 15 minutes managed to create some space but attacking moves went astray. With heads down, the final whistle came shortly after another breakaway try to take the final score to 38 points to nil.
Before this coming Saturday's re-arranged league match against Kilburn Cosmos, Hendon will have to regroup.
Team. Chapman(repl. Whittaker), Anyim, Connolly,Owens, Walowicz, Blake, Linale, Towndrow, O'Regan, Gilbride, Doyle, McEnemy, Butler, Kelly, Mutuma,
Saturday 23rd January 2010
Hendon RFC 8pts Verulamian RFC 6pts
Hendon resumed their League and Rugby season since the last match back in early December.
Captain Eric Butler was full of praise for his team " this was a very tight game, not helped by an unfortunate refereeing mistake which nearly cost us the match. In our first game since December 12th we were very rusty and with key players still out injured and not available, we still managed to control the game and book another 2 points in the League to officially sign off the first half of the season in fourth position."
Hendon were upfield in the first half and took the lead after 15 minutes after a long kick from Kevin Owens, making his debut for Hendon, was fielded by Verulamians who were caught and penalised for not releasing; Ben Linale converted for a 3-0 lead.
Minutes later Verulamian were awarded a penalty after their first attacking move in the Hendon half of the pitch, which they converted 3-3.
Both teams then missed a penalty each and with Linale hitting the post the ball was collected by Walowicz for Hendon who was held up on the try line.
Then controversy, as Hendon's Kelly was running from defence, he was high tackled and advantage was played. The referee stopped the advantage and as Hendon had been in possession incorrectly gave the penalty to Verulamian. They kicked the goal and went ahead 3 points to 6.
Into the second half Hendon's pack were dominant with the second row of McEnemy and Doyle impressive. However Verulamian's defence held out to the 30th minute when Hendon's pack pushed their opposition tey again into reverse and as they drove over No. 8 Cosy Mutuma scored the match winning try. This was not converted as Linale was now off injured.
Into the last seconds Verulamian were awarded a kickable penalty but luckily for the home outfit it went wide and Hendon had the two League points.
The next test will be Saturday 30th January when Hendon are home to Old Haberdashers in the start of the second half of the season.
Team Cremin, Walowicz, Owens, Connolly, Chapman, Blake, Linale ( replace Whittaker), Gilbride, Connell, Connor, McEnemy,Doyle, Butler, Kelly, Mutuma.
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