Herts return to haunt Cornwall

9:28am Wednesday 14th May 2008

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HERTFORDSHIRE 31pts

Tries: Archer 2, De La Harpe

Conversions: Gregg 2

Penalties: Gregg 4

Yellow card: De La Harpe

Hertfordshire: K. Davies (Ampthill); I. Crompton (Stevenage), J. Child (Welwyn), R. Adde (Hemel Hempstead), M. Evans (Old Albanian; R. Gregg (Old Albanian), R. de la Harpe (Letchworth); R. Long (Tabard), T. Faamausili (Stevenage), S. Carter (Newbury), A. Amos (Stevenage), R. Dumbleton (Harpenden), I. Hardcastle (Westcombe Park), C. Rainbow (Newbury), D. Archer, capt (Henley Hawks). Reps: R. Woodard (Tabard) For Adde 80 + 6, P. Welch (Hertford) for Evans 72m, A. Gelman (Old Albanian) for Long 49m, M. Cross (Loughborough Students) for Faamausili 57m, J. Remfry (Caldy) for Carter 57m, B. Johnson (Hertford) for Amos 44m, A. Church (Hertford) for Dumbleton 75m.

CORNWALL 26pts Tries: Jess 2, Scrivener, Westren

Conversions: Scrivener 2, Thirlby

Cornwall: P Thirlby (Redruth); J Semmens (Mounts Bay), R Westren (Cornish AB), S Peters (Redruth), M Jess; M Scrivener (both Cornish AB), M Richards; D Jacques (both Redruth), J Salter, P Andrew; J Griffiths, B Hilton (all Mounts Bay); J Lord (Cornish AB, capt), C Fuca (Redruth), S Hocking (Cornish AB). Replacements: M Churcher (Mounts Bay for Scrivener 68m), S Parsons (Cornish Pirates) for Peters 65 m, J Bolt (Cornish AB) for Jacques 65m, D Semmens for Wood 55m, D Clackworthy (both Mounts Bay) for Andrew 48m, B Jenkins (Cornish AB) for Griffith 44m, S Wood (Redruth) for Fuca 49m.

Referee: Mr P.Knowles (RFU)

FOR the second time in three years Cornwall were humbled at a hot and humid Hertford in a good, well -contest game of rugby.

Although Cornwall outscored the hosts by four tries to three, the goal kicking of Richard Gregg and the outstanding play of the Hertfordshire back row saw their side home in a grandstand finish when the Duchy were unable to take advantage of two five metre line outs in 10 minutes of stoppage time.

One again Hertfordshire's chairman of selectors Gwyn Williams gathered together a side with just four national league players but they played to a simple game plan, put Cornwall under pressure in the scrums while the backrow of Ian Hardcastle, Dave Archer and Chris Rainbow contested fiercely at the breakdowns and denied Cornwall quick ball for some talented backs to use.

Cornwall got off to a great start with a half break in the Hertfordshire 22 by Mark Richards saw Mark Scrivener go over in the left hand corner with less than two minutes played. Scrivener converted from wide out.

Hertfordshire did well to survive the next 10 minutes but Newbury flanker Chris Rainbow, who had a cracking game, made a lot of ground to take play into the duchy 22 and quick ball gave the Letchworth scrum half Ryan De La Harpe the chance to dive over for an unconverted try.

In the 19th minute a classic outside break from Ryan Westren put Matt Jess over for an unconverted try.

The hosts were giving Cornwall a rough old time in the scrums and two scores in a four-minute spell both touched down by skipper Dave Archer, the England counties player, turned the game in Hertfordshire favour. First in the 25th minute following a series of pick and drive plays Archer forced his way over.

Four minutes later Thirlby was forced to concede a five metre scrum and as the scrum turned Archer picked up and crashed over. Gregg converted both.

Despite losing De La Harpe to a yellow card for punching spotted by touch judge Mike Lambert two minutes before the interval, Hertfordshire took a seven-point advantage 19-12 into the break.

Gregg was not striking the ball cleanly but a 43rd minute penalty extended the lead.

Flanker Steve Wood injured his knee in his first tackle after coming on as a second half replacement, Darren Semmens coming on to the back row.

Jess pulled a try back for Cornwall after 49 minutes which Scrivener converted.

Gregg kicked for position with the breeze and the Duchy made mistakes trying to run the ball out of defence conceding further penalties in the 57th, 65th and 75th minutes.

Westren touched down under the crossbar in the 72nd minute with Thirlby adding the extras to set up an exciting finale.

Cornwall had position to go for a score but twice messed up at five metreline outs in stoppage time and could not deny Hertfordshire a well deserved win that they scrapped all the way for.