(March 22) You have to admire the ambition. They didn’t quite pull it off against higher league opposition, but it was only in the last play that the game finally ran away from the Junior Academy following the 31-27 loss to Hitchin at Donkey Lane.

Having successfully twice successfully worked the ball through multiple phases, and scored in textbook fashion from an attacking lineout, the U16s were deservedly 15-10 (three tries) in front at the break, although they did pick up a yellow card for their pains.

Second-division Hitchin certainly capitalised after the interval. Having dominated the set scrums (three strikes against the head) and unleashed their big ball carriers to good effect, they fashioned a couple of tries of their own to lead 24-15.

However, the U16s' heads never dropped.. They trimmed Hitchin’s lead to four points after the left winger successfully cut back inside and stepped the last defender.

Following another fluent piece of play, the U16s spread the ball through the hands, and they certainly chanced their arm a bit after unleashing a kick through, which gave rise to a successful foot race after the ball dropped invitingly behind the line.

The successful conversion gave Ignatians a 27-24 lead – only to have victory cruelly wrenched from their grasp at the death.

Still, it has been a good season for the Herts-Saracens Division Three victors, and they can look forward to a tour to Kent (March 27-30) with games against Medway, Sevenoaks and Gravesend on the horizon.

A full report on the game will be published by our star reporter in due course.

(March 21) A much changed ENFIELD IGNATIANS team from the one that took to the field against Finsbury Park and Old Millhillians suffered a disappointing 27-17 loss in round three of the Counties Two Middlesex Shield at Donkey Lane.

Ignatians points scorers’ were Emmanuel Okafor, who marked his promotion from the Senior Academy by scoring his first senior try, with Dan Shaw and Seyi Adeosun also crossing the whitewash. Shaw also added a conversion.

Fly-half Jack O’Toole (pictured) was the Mary Madden’s Man of the Match.

A full report will be eventually published in the relevant team section.