IGNATIANS FAIL TO CASH-IN ON GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY

Disappointment and frustration were the overriding emotions after Enfield Ignatians let slip a winnable opportunity after going down 15-9 to Hackney in the Counties One Herts-Middlesex Derby, played in testing conditions, at Spring Hill on Saturday (December 9).

The inability of the visitors to come away with the four points will have been particularly galling, as in the wake of Hampstead’s 60-5 romp against Datchworth, it has become all very congested at the bottom, with the three above sides separated by a mere point at the foot of the table.

It places added emphasis on Ignatians’ home game against fellow strugglers Hampstead (December 16) at Donkey Lane on Saturday, which has become another must win encounter for the blue and golds.

The irony for Ignatians is that they were particularly well equipped for the task ahead, given that their heavier and dominant pack was in the ascendancy for much of the first half, as the visitors monopolised territory and possession.

Naturally, the penalty opportunities flowed in a one-sided half and fullback, Jack Wilson, was very much dead-eyed Jack as his 75 per cent strike rate from the tee augured well for the rest of the game.

His first two strikes, angled attempts from opposite sides of the field, and from a fair way out, were particularly sweetly struck, as the head coach successively punished Hackney for offside (second row) and for a high tackle on Farhad Fayaz.

However, like most local Derbies, it was certainly feisty and bad-tempered in parts, and Matt Pollard, the author of some great work at the breakdown, will attest first-hand, as he took a couple of painful shoeings for his troubles.

At times day turned to night for Ignatians and, unexpectedly so, as, against the run of play, Hackney in a rare incursion into the visitors’ territory, and having won the penalty, set up the attacking maul, which very soon turned into the nightmare of a penalty try.

The referee’s decision certainly raised a few eyebrows but, with Ignatians deemed guilty of having dragged down the maul, the visitors found themselves trailing 7-6.

Yet Ignatians soon rediscovered their mojo and the upshot was another penalty opportunity, with Jack Wilson, having missed an earlier sitter, back on song again with his third successful strike, after Hackney transgressed at the breakdown. Again, it seems only pertinent to credit some good approach work characterised by good use of the bomb which un-nerved the home defence.

Intent at playing at pace on a heavy track, and scrum-half Daniel Shaw was very quick off the mark, Ignatians continued to expose Hackney, but mistakes, too, abounded, and they struggled to win clean possession at the lineout which stalled their attacking momentum.

At times they needed to adopt a patient, slower approach, as they needed to back up their adrenaline rush with a certain sang froid, and there was a loss of focus, as players, and both sides were culpable, became intent on settling their own personal scores.

The irony of Hackney’s second try won’t be lost on the visitors as they were on attack, deep inside the home side’s territory, only for the visitors to fatally cough up possession.

In the blink of an eye, the ball was haring in the opposite direction and, in the ensuing foot race, involving Carl Asare-Anderson and the Hackney outside centre, it was the latter which emerged victorious from after hacking through to give hosts a 12-9 half-time lead.

Ignatians rung the changes after the break. However, the second-half became a far more even contest, and one in which Hackney, having at last roused themselves from their torpor, were far more prominent.

Indeed, it was Hackney which opened the scoring after the Griffins’ kicker nailed the sitter after the visitors strayed off-side in front of the posts, as Ignatians found themselves staring at six-point deficit.

However, retaining control of the ball proved problematic for both sides, as conditions deteriorated and mistakes continued, with both sides guilty of mis-cuing their lineout darts, as continuity fell by the wayside.

Ignatians’ replacement winger, Jack O’Toole, threatened to break through only to be reined back by the referee who penalised Ignatians’ Ken Carroll for blocking earlier in the movement. “He’s not that quick,” shouted one wag.

Hackney, too, had their moments in a more even half. They sighted the visitors’ line on a couple of occasions via a series of pick and goes, only to be thwarted by some sturdy Ignatians’ defence, and they also had a try chalked off.

Struggling increasingly to get on the front foot, Ignatians did win an attacking lineout in a good position in the dying throes, but it went pear-shaped, and perhaps the words of the sage in the Ignatians’ second row “we need to take it down a notch”, are certainly valid, in a game when the heart overruled the head at times.

Lastly, it remains for us to wish Lucas Yoxall a speedy recovery. Forced off after hurting his hand, we will issue an update once further information becomes available.

Ignatians’ head coach Jack Wilson said: “Hackney handled the conditions better than us. I said to the players that the side making the least mistakes would win the game – and so it proved. We made lots of handling errors.”

Squad: Jack Wilson (Ben Roper 55), Paul Duke, Carl Asare-Anderson, Erik Nagy, Ben Roper (Jack O’Toole 40), Tom MacDougall, Daniel Shaw (Calum Middleton 55), Matt Georgiou, Matt Pollard (Ken Carroll 55), Farhad Fayaz, Seyi Adeosun, Frank Antwi, Lucas Yoxall (65 Matt Pollard), Ethan Renny, Euan Renny (Cpt).
Pens: Jack Wilson (3).