Rugby Union: Harpenden lock out Grasshoppers at the Lane.

Harpenden 40 Grasshoppers 0

Thanks to all at Harpenden Rugby for providing the match report. Taking in full from http://www.hrfc.com/.

Harpenden’s bouncebackability would be sorely tested at Redbourn Lane against a resurgent Grasshoppers team on Saturday. The turgid conditions suffocated the early exchanges, with mistakes, turnovers and set pieces taking centre-stage. Both sides had opportunities to trouble the scorers, Harpenden first through their pace-laden backline, with only last-ditch tackling denying winger Payne, and then Grasshoppers opting for the robust approach following a series of reset scrums and short-range drives. Haddock’s right boot enabled Harpenden to open the scoring, with a well-struck penalty following a G’s indiscretion at the breakdown. However, the game didn’t really come to life until a moment of madness by the away side’s second row changed the complexion of the game irrevocably. Following some good close-quarter work by Graham, Green broke the initial defence only to be tripped by the Grasshopper’s boot under the nose of the referee. The result was a red card, and this instantly had a galvanising effect on Harpenden. The Men in Black were diligent in keeping the pressure on G’s, and set up camp deep in the twenty-two. Following a series of short-range drives, South released Tennant whose flat miss-pass found Cooper, who rounded off the move superbly. A further penalty attempt by Haddock went awry, but Harpenden, despite having the upper hand in terms of statistics couldn’t quite kill off a spirited G’s side. HT 8-0

The message from the coaching staff was clear enough, and Harpenden set about putting the game to bed. Powerful breaks from deep via Dumbleton and Graham enabled front-foot possession, and with the tempo on the incline Harpenden began a 30minute ruthless streak. On his full debut for the first team, Murphy crossed the whitewash following a neat offload from Tennant. Haddock crashed over the conversion and Harpenden held a 15-0 lead mid-way through the second half. The Men in Black had seen enough as early as the 60th minute, opting to kick for the corner rather than settle for a mere three points. From a driven maul Tennant duly dived over on the short side beneath an attempted tackle from the visiting flanker. Alan Barton, back to his favored position and form, ran virtually everything and Harpenden merrily picked up the bonus point on offer, and are now five points behind the Hammersmith and Fulham, whom they play in four weeks time.

A further coat of gloss was added to the score line with centre Cooper adding a second to his first half try. Both South and Kearns got their reward from the tireless work of the Harpenden backrow trio of Green, Graham and Drain, the latter offering glimpses to the spectators of his prodigious talent both in the loose and on the wider pastures. FT 40-0

Note: Following an accidental clash of heads between two players, the Harpenden first fifteen and the Club itself would like to wish the Grasshoppers player a full and speedy recovery.

Team:

Peck, Murphy, Blake, Hoare, Dumbleton, Green, Drain, Graham, South, Tennant (C), Payne, Cooper, Kearns, Haddock and Barton.

Subs:

Lacey, Thompson and Muskett.