SPIRITED EFFORT FAILS TO PREVENT HEAVY DEFEAT

Watford IIs 41 Enfield Ignatians IIIs 12

It's been a tough baptism of fire so far for the promoted threes in Herts-Middlesex Merit Table Four. After the Fullerians experience a week earlier, life certainly didn't get against easier against Watford IIs despite a spirited effort, writes Jonathan Landi.

However, Ignatians had their moments and, in a bright opening quarter, the visitors were all over Watford like a bad rash. This forced the hosts into a re-think and the introduction of a number of choice substitutions enabled the hosts to stem the tide and run-in the tries.

The Watford centre certainly had a field-day. He ran in five tries in the game and was at his most lively in the first period when he ran in four.

However, skipper Steve Renny was heartened by Ignatians' second-half display as the game became a far more even affair. "It was a much better after the break and we scored the first of our tries via Jason Joseph, and it was converted
"We picked up a few injuries and the game went to uncontested scrums and this certainly favoured the slicker Watford. "
Watford added a further try but Ignatians kept going when the chips were down and found it within them to fashion a second try - scored by centre Sam Greenwell.

Steve Renny summed up: "Overall, it was an encouraging effort on what was our second league game of the season at this level."