Wow. This was a performance for which every player and member of the coaching staff can take real pride. Make no mistake Harpenden are the real deal. You don't get to be 2nd in this league without having some real quality and it was clear that given the opportunity Harpenden and especially their back three could cause real havoc. I think the headline pretty much says it all. This was Harrow at it's best. In the faces of their opponents for the whole eighty minutes. They never let them breath. Never gave them the time or space to let loose their dangerous backs. The defence was absolutely magnificent and when the home team had the chance they showed their own qualities outscoring our opponents by seven tries to one and securing a try bonus point before the half was up. Less good Harrow also outscored Harpenden by three yellow cards to one but it says much for the spirit and quality of the side that despite effectively playing 30 minutes of the eighty with less than a full compliment on the field Harrow never At the end Harpeden were simply blown away by the power, quality and sheer bloody mindedness of the Grove Field side and they can have no complaints. On the day Harrow were simply too good for their nearest challengers and with half season now gone Harrow are now eight points ahead of Chiswick at the top of London 2NW and eleven ahead of Harpenden. In an tremendous team performance special mention must be made of an outstanding tight five who completely outplayed their opposition. The back row with the skipper in absolutely irresistible form, were magnificent both in defence and attack. The half backs were bright and assured, whilst Byrne's game management was of the highest order. He worked out quickly that Harpenden were vulnerable when turned and he put the ball consistently in areas that kept Harrow going forward and causing our opponents the maximum problems. Both centres defensively were excellent and caused all sorts of problems going forward with Proctor having his best game for a long time. I thought that it suited Bailey moving from the right to left wing where he looked a different player. A fine match will have done his confidence the world of good and he has reacted really well to some difficult performances. Witney at the back was calm and assured, He kicked his goals and made a couple of excellent breaks whilst Smith a clever footballer on the other wing, scored one and made one.

Harrow kicked off playing towards the pond pitch on a bright but cold afternoon, perfect for rugby and it was clear immediately what Harpenden's game plan was moving the ball as quickly as possible to their quick and clever backs. It was their best part in the match and for the first quarter Harrow had to be resolute as they were forced to work hard to repel attack after attack. At 19 mins very much against the run of play the ball was dropped in the Harpenden midfield. Hacked through the Harpenden full back slipped as the ball went over the try line. Conroy one of three Harrow chasers was first to the ball. The conversion 10 metres in from the left hand touchline was sweetly struck by Witney and Harrow, drawing first blood, were 7-0 up. Two minutes later the skipper picked up from the back of a scrum on the halfway line. Showing excellent pace he got outside the defence and then showing great strength and no little skill as he was caught by the covering player on the Harpenden 22he put in a sublime grubber that went into the in goal area Smith showing excellent pace and awareness was first to the ball to touch down. A difficult conversion against the right hand touchline was missed. 12-0. Harrow were now in the ascendancy and at 27 mins Harpenden under pressure on their own 22 were penalised at the breakdown. To the left of the posts Witney made no mistake 15-0. At 32 mins Harrow were this time penalised at the break down close to their own posts and Harpenden had their first points of the game 15-3. Harrow though had no intention of letting their opponents back into this game. A superb front peel by Harrow a lineout inside the Hrpeneden 22 released Conroy at pace and he had far too much pace for the defence as he scorched over in the right hand corner for his second of the day. Super try. Harpenden were simply shell shocked as they tried to find a way back into the game. At 37 mins it got even worse. Once again a lovely break by the skipper on the Harpenden 10 put Smith away in space as the defence came across a beautiful inside overhead pass from the winger to Witney at pace took out all the cover and the full back ran over unopposed to the right of the posts for a quite superb try and the try bonus point. Witney converted his own try and Harrow were out of sight at 27-3. Harpenden attacked from the kick off and following a further Harrow infringement at the breakdown the referee had had enough and Togher was on his way to the bin for ten minutes. Harpenden then had two excellent opportunities to kick goals but rather than take the points their skipper opted to run. Harrow were able to defend their lines and they went into the break 27-3 ahead but knowing that they faced at the beginning of the second half nine minutes a man down. Despite this Harrow started the half by far the stronger and at 45 mins after a further period of sustained pressure Harrison drove over for the home side's fifth. Conversion to the right of the posts on the 15 metre line was missed 32-3. Harrow were back to 15 but almost immediately Rob Baragwanath, now on for Sherman, was on his way to the bin for a further offence at the breakdown. Harpenden realising that this was there last chance upped their game and attacked Harrow again and again. As Harrow continued to defend well Harpenden became increasingly frustrated. At 64 mins as the home team stopped another attack on their line Dave West unable to defend himself was punched repeatedly on the ground. Harrison stepped in to protect his mate and he together with the Harpenden player found themselves in the bin. It was particularly harsh on Harrison who was simply protecting his team mate and not harsh enough on his opponent who should have seen red. Still the 18 year old referee who had a fine game and is clearly an outstanding prospect made his decision and the home side were down to 13. Harpenden were finally able to make their numerical superiority pay outflanking the home defence in the right hand corner to score a finely worked try. Conversion missed 32-8. At 67 mins with Harrow back to 14 Franklyn, having an outstanding season, was over from close range. Conversion missed 37-8 and finally at 75 mins after a further series of drives Harrison was over again from short range for his second of the match and his third in two games. Again conversion missed 42-8. A tremendous result for the home who were richly rewarded for the quality and intensity of their performance. It showed what can be achieved if they put in a shift for a full 80 minutes and sent a clear message to the rest of the league. As the coach pointedly said to me at the conclusion of the match "Just think what they could do if they actually trained.................."

There were any number of outstanding performances by the players. Chris West, the skipper was simply majestic and whilst it was his brother Adam who played in real pain throughout was adjudged by the coach as man of the match in appreciation of the efforts of the whole of our front five I have gone for one of them. As a unit they so clearly outclassed and out muscled their opposition tight five and ensured that they were unable to provide any sort of platform for their classy backs. It was their efforts that provided the foundation for this crucial victory and allowed some of the others to star. Junior has struggled all season with a chronic knee problem. Yesterday when you needed your big players to perform it was our biggest, approaching the form that we know he is capable of, part of an outstanding tight effort and finishing off with two tries . Junior Harrison is my man of the match.

Next week in the last match of 2014 we host OMTs. This is always a tough game against talented opponents who always raise themselves when they play Harrow. We will have to play well to beat them. The ko is likely to be 2.30pm as both Clubs have Christmas festivities back at their clubs in the evening. There will be mulled wine, hot dogs, toasted sandwiches mince pies for those who would like to partake.

Please come and support your club in another must win game as we seek to cement our place at the top of London 2NW into 2015.

If there are any players out there who are thinking of joining us at Harrow we would love to see you. Come and join the most successful and one of the most ambitious clubs in the area

Meanwhile the Lions went down 24-7 at Cuffley. Report by Howie Gosling below

Andrew Smart