Men in Black: Harpenden win the Local Derby against Hemel

Men in Black, made it 2 out of 2 with this fine win against Hemel. This match report was taking in full from the Harpenden RFC website.

Harpenden 17 Hemel Hempstead 0

Harpenden continued their good start to the season with a convincing 17-0 win over local rivals Hemel on Saturday. Redbourn Lane played host to a packed crowd in glorious playing conditions in a local derby which only came to life in the final quarter.

The Men in Black began the game in positive fashion, creating chances and smashing through holes in the Hemel defense. One such break allowed second row Dumbleton to enjoy a 50 meter gallop only to throw a blind pass to the non-existent support.

A clash of styles with the visiting side was obvious from the outset; Hemel opting for the brute force approach and Harpenden for the attacking/offloading game which has served them so well. Harpenden’s only inhibitor was their charity at the breakdowns, conceding numerous penalties at critical times of the match.

With Captain Tennant leading the backline from the front it was only a matter of time before Harpenden breached Hemel’s defense, and it was some slick handling that created the space for Muskett, to do what he does with such élan and beat his opposite man to touch down out wide. From the resulting score Tennant had to leave the field, introducing Cooper to fullback and Payne to the helm.

The second part of the first half, which threatened to be a dominant one for the Men in Black, became disjointed via a combination of a sizeable penalty count and individual errors creeping in to normally faultless individuals.

With Hemel enjoying a large slice of the possession it wasn’t long before the away side were presented with their first opportunity, a skewed penalty kick Hemel’s best chance. With the penalty count stacking up against the home team Tom Hoare found his way to the familiarity of the sin bin. Harpenden having to endure 5 tough minutes prior to half time with only 14 bodies.

Half Time: Harpenden 5 Hemel 0

Half time came and went and the Men in Black began the second with gusto. Cornthwaite, an irritant for both teams (on occasion) was beginning to assert himself at the turnover, and with Read turning the screw on the Hemel kicker, Harpenden profited.

It must be said too, that the Harpenden pack as an eight, were enjoying the upper hand over their counterparts, with the scrums in particular proving a rich source of possession.

Harpenden’s next score came directly from a lineout deep in Hemel territory. Dumbleton’s monopoly of the set piece gave quick ball to Payne, who’s inside pass to Read created inroads in the Hemel defense. Some quick ruck ball enabled Barton to feed Blake, whose footwork attracted the attentions of the opposition tacklers, before Jonny Barton slipped through several blue and white shirts, dotting down neatly under the posts.

The hosts then enjoyed a purple patch, and began to work the phases with little fuss or panache. Again a combination of quick ball at the breakdown and some deft handling from centre Kearns and winger Ashley Smith, found the grateful clutches of a rehabilitated Tom Hoare, who slid in under the posts in the process opening up a 17-0 lead.

With Daniel Tennant making way for new signing Jali and Green entering the fray, Harpenden’s ability to switch off for periods was put to the test yet again. The penalty count began to surge, seeing scrum half Barton enter the sin bin for a team offence, and individual errors came to the fore. However, Hemel’s route-one attacking game was no match for Harpenden’s well drilled defense, and try as they might the away side got little change out of their counterparts.

To a man Harpenden closed “shop” around the ruck area and out wide, with Kearns, Jonny Barton and Cornthwaite immense on the back foot. Despite Hemel’s numerical advantage their inability to proffer points saw their heads visibly bow, and the Men in Black put together several phases of high level rugby.

A neat show and go from Payne, gave Kearns a chink of light, the centre bursting through and linking up well with Jali and Muskett, only to be thwarted at the last. As the game entered its twilight tempers flared, and both sides were reduced to 14 men, but this failed to knock Harpenden from their stride, as the Men in Black again worked several promising openings, however this time they failed to trouble the scorers and garner the bonus point on offer.

FT: Harpenden 17 Hemel 0

Team:

Blake, Tennant D, Lewin, Dumbleton, Hoare, Cornthwaite, Ireland, Read, Barton A, Tennant J ©, Muskett, Kearns, Barton J, Smith, Payne.

Subs:

Jali for Tennant (60mins), Green for Ireland (65mins) and Cooper for Tennant J (15mins).

CRY Awareness Week 9-17 October 2010 http://www.c-r-y.org.uk/