DIXON FACTOR IN STRONG EVIDENCE AS THREES SUFFER HONOURABLE DEFEAT

It was cruel luck on the threes for the blue and golds were denied the option of using their much vaunted pack with the game going to uncontested scrums from the offset, as Tring arrived without a front row, but they still put in a decent shift despite the final result showing a loss.

Enfield Ignatians got off to a better start and New Zealander Johnny Dixon (Pictured), a belated returnee to the game after being side-lined for14 months through injury, leaving an indelible mark on the game after running-in a hat-trick of tries. In theory, Dixon's game time should by rights have been more rationed but, with Sam Barnes forced off with a shoulder injury after 15 minutes, the Kiwi stepped up to the plate and, tapping into his rugby heritage, showed why he has played at a decent level in his native homeland.

After an early exchange of penalties, Dixon, playing at scrum-half here, although he is equally at home on the wing, twice breached the Tring line which, with added bonus of Paul Duke conversion - the half-back also rifled over a penalty - ensured that Ignatians were 15-3 in front at the break.

However, the second-half was a different story as the mobility of Tring taxed the tiring blue and gold forwards and started to take charge and the Hertfordshire visitors cut loose by running in four tries to lead 31-15, before Ignatians engineered a corker of a try which was initiated by the promising Lucas Yoxall deep in his own half. Also the author of a try-saving tackle, Yoxall's cracking break made good yardage before Rondel Bernard further supported the movement, before the trailing Dixon finished off.

Tring sealed matters with a further try but Ignatians certainly gave a good account of themselves in a game in which they welcomed new recruit Tom Read, while a mention must also go to Harry Grosch who had a good game.