Enfield Ignatians got their Counties Two Middlesex ‘Shield’ campaign off to a flying start at the main expense of local rivals Finsbury Park, and this following a ruthless second-half display which carried the hosts 41-5 clear at the final whistle, writes Jonathan Landi.

In a performance of contrasting hues, Ignatians, tentative and hesitant in the first period, but just about in front at 7-5 up, eventually discovered a ruthless streak which enabled them to bank a further six tries and sweep all five points.

However, slow-starting Ignatians were initially pinned back deep in their own half, and it took a full 15 minutes before scrum-half, Daniel Shaw, eventually gave his side some invaluable breathing space with a long hoof up-field.

Struggling to get on the front foot and far too penalty prone, Ignatians’ defensive resolve, though, was never in question, as typified by the grappling presence of hooker/flanker, Chris Langan, at the breakdown.

Finsbury Park asked an awful lot of questions of Ignatians defensively but the hosts stubbornly refused to yield, and the visitors breached their opponents line for the only time in the game when the blue and golds were reduced to 14 after Daniel Shaw was deemed to have illegally ‘jumped’ into the tackle.

When they did get on the front foot, Ignatians hinted at the rich, if underutilised seams of attacking potential, at their disposal, with fly-half, Ryan Loo, proving the architect in chief of the opening try after cleverly giving his opposite number the slip.

Cleverly drawing-in the next defender, he subsequently unleashed outside centre, Curtis Young, who gleefully accepted the scoring pass to go in under the sticks. Loo also added the conversion.

Ignatians also spurned a golden opportunity to add a second try just before the interval. Instead, they opted to run a penalty rather than drilling the ball to the corner, and they had every reason to rue the sudden rush of blood to the head as the ball was dropped before squirting forward.

Head coach, Gary Phillips, rejigged his options at the interval, having invited Cairo Sango and Frazer Briers to swap wings (with appreciable results), and he also drew a bit more bite in the front row following the introduction of experienced heads, Matt Pollard and Ken Carroll.

Consequently, Ignatians’ stabilised attacking platform was all consuming and so much so that about 90 per cent of the second-half was played in Finsbury territory, with captain, Euan Renny, underlining his bustling presence by weighing in with a brace.

Admittedly, Finsbury Park gave Ignatians a big helping hand following a fatal error close to their own line, but it was Ignatians’ constant ability to keep the attacking fires burning with some hard carries from the forwards, and probes from the backline, which proved irresistible.

Euan Renny emerged from the forest of bodies to claim his side’s second, and there was also a pleasing snap to the third try, with the hard carry in-field of the experienced Liam Horn from an attacking lineout, instrumental in setting up the skipper for his second.

Rondel Bernard, part of a strong bench, announced his grand entrance to the stage with some thunderous charges, and with an attacking maul gaining good yardage, some good interplay from Dan Shaw and Seyi Adeosun (amongst others) sent Ryan Loo scampering clear for the bonus point try.

In the aftermath, tempers flared momentarily, with each side copping a second yellow card (including Ignatians’ Cairo Sango).

However, there was no let-up in Ignatians’ attacking resolve, and the Mary Madden’s Man of the Match, Seyi Adeosun (excellent carries), was rewarded for a titanic display in the form of two tries of his own.

In the first instance, a multi-phased attack (involving Henry Sibley amongst others), was finished off successfully by the mobile second row, with the player running a hard, straight line for his second, after play was successively pulled right then left.

Frazer Briers also excelled in the high-octane atmosphere on the wing. A handful throughout, he proved the chief beneficiary of a sublime cut out pass after an Ignatians’ attack banked right, which shredded the Park defensive line, prior to the provision of the scoring pass,

Ignatians’ seven try haul was further laced by two conversions from Ryan Loo and one from Dan Shaw, as the hosts ended on a high prior to the visit to Old Millhillians on March 7.

Head coach Gary Phillips felt that the second-half performance was a template for the rest of the season.

Captain Euan Renny added: “I’m very happy although we needed to up our game in the second-half [which we did}. Although we can’t always start the game on the backfoot, and by conceding penalties, but we scored some good tries in the end.”

Squad (all used): Alfie Fordham*, Cairo Sango*, Curtis Young, Ed Barker*, Frazer Briers*, Ryan Loo*, Dan Shaw, Chris Langan, William Bruce*, Finlay MacKay* (VC), Henry Sibley*, Seyi Adeosun*, Euan Renny* (cpt), Liam Horn*, Sam Rushmer, Rondel Bernard, Matt Pollard, Ken Carroll*
*Home grown players.
Mary Madden’s MOM: Seyi Adeosun.