IT'S MISSION ACCOMPLISHED FOR THE AMBITIOUS THREES

The threes fully achieved their objectives of snaring the points and keeping their title ambitions alive in Herts-Middlesex Merit Table Five following a hard-fought 24-19 against a spirited Stevenage IIs outfit which took the visitors to the brink.

Errors and knock-ons in particular blighted both the ambitions of both sides, but Ignatians stuck faithfully to a forward orientated-game in the dreadful conditions and were rewarded for their diligence after clocking up a 19-5 half-time lead.

Lewis White was the first to go over, and his touchdown was converted by Dave Conlan, before Anthony Clare made his presence felt by forcing his way over in the corner.

It continued to get better and the returning Leighton Thomas celebrated his recall to arms by adding a converted try of his own as the visitors clocked up a healthy lead.

However, the blue and golds suffered a couple of snags in the form of an injury to the Mr Indestructible of the Pack, namely Bob Ridley, which entailed captain Steve Renny having to take over. Consequently, the visitors stayed strong in the scrums and it never went uncontested,

Yet Ignatians did leak a try before half-time. The score was certainly a huge morale booster to the Stags, and having got themselves out of a rut, the home farmed the morale booster to add a brace of converted tries after the break to draw level at 19-19.

It was anyone's game at this juncture. However, captain Renny, in true Henry V style, exhorted his troops once more unto the breech, and the subsequent regroup and sustained forward pressure saw Eron Dottin-Wilson crash over for the winning score.

The skipper said: "It was a great effort by all in terrible conditions and this now puts us in contention for (an eventual} top of table of the table spot as we have a couple of games in hand. There is some
tough competition in the league in the form of Belsize Park, whom we have already beaten, and Finsbury Park who are looking very strong. The latter have already beaten us but you never know."