TWOS PLAY A SECOND-HALF BLINDER IN TOUGH CONDITIONS

Writes Jon Landi

WESTON 8 ENFIELD IGNATIANS IIS 21
The twos have built a healthy winning habit and this was again evident as, after trawling into a lot of self belief, they came they came from behind on the scoreboard to earn a well deserved away victory in Hertfordshire against a Weston side which opened the scoring.
The first-half hour was a bit of a non-event as the two sides sized each other up for no return on the scoreboard.
However, matters got a lot livelier on the half-hour mark when Weston, playing classical wet-weather rugby in difficult conditions, were the first to trouble the judge; playing a lot via the forwards, and with the ball rarely going beyond ten, they struck gold after playing simple round the corner rugby from a ruck.
It was just the wake up call Ignatians needed and, when won a penalty, they drilled the ball to the corner and set up the catch and drive - from which Alex McCall had the presence of mind to peel off the side before dotting down for the equalising score.
Paul Duke added the conversion but Weston subsequently won a penalty from in front of the sticks, and the
home kicker made no mistake with the kick to make it 8-7 to the home team at half-time.
A lot of soul-searching was done at half-time as Ignatians had, until now, operated off starvation rations in terms of possession, and they clearly needed to up their work rate and intensity.
The first ten minutes of the second-half again proved a barren period of stalemate but, when the opportunity
came calling, the visitors took it with aplomb and the in-form Rondel Bernard, cutting a lovely line, duly blew open the Weston safe for a second time,.
Paul Duke added the extras and was then off target with a penalty attempt as the outcome hung in the balance.
However, victory was eventually assured and it was a work of joint enterprise with Finlay Mackay, playing at six, making a very good break before feeding Euan Renny; the latter running-in the score from 15-metres and sparking a double family celebration as father Steve also scored at senior level against Hatfield.
Not that Weston were done for as they rallied and got over the line but Ignatians' defence was successful in holding them up and preventing the grounding.
Spokesman Paul Duke said: "I thought the colts blended in really well and, consequently, the Man of the Match award was divided between Finlay Mackay and Euan Renny. We had eight colts in the side and mentions must also go to Tyson Skrypek, Lucas Yoxall and Angelo Dineen. "