With temperatures at all-time record highs for October of 30○, Hemel kicked off down the hill at 12.30, with the blazing sun at their backs. Teddy Walliker broke up the visitor’s attack with a determined tackle, Harrow won the first couple of scrums and Harry Wilson and Robin Gunnell-Parker combined well on the left, pushing into the Hemel half, but ground was lost in the subsequent cross field move and Hemel broke through to touch down between the posts for their first try. Flanker Luke Georgiou put in a great tackle to frustrate the visitors’ attack from the re-start, and Daniel King and Captain Ben Solomon drove the attack deep into the Hemel half. In the first of various changes throughout the match, Freddie Paxton, on the wing, swapped places with Jayan Poojara at outside centre. Teddy and Ben, fly and scrum half, also swapped positions, before Ben took the ball 25 yards into the Hemel half, Freddie taking the off-load to touch down on the right for Harrow’s first try. From the restart, second row Daniel K and Ferdous Khaleqy kept the pressure on the visitors, charging into their lines. Inside centre Sisaro Morris and Liam Sulaman, wing, worked the ball forward on the right for Liam to touch down to put Harrow in the lead: Harrow 10 Hemel 7. Sammy Clifford at prop, drove forward into the Hemel lines, but the visitors were soon re-applying the pressure and only a jolting diagonal run by Teddy got the ball out of the Harrow 22. The heat of the sun and the passion of the game boiled over and Freddie and the Hemel hooker were shown yellow cards for fighting. The half closed with Sisa and Liam again combining well on the wing.

For the second half, Sean Thomas came on at flanker for Luke and James Gould came on for Freddie. In the first of several great Harrow moves, Teddy and Ben combined to get the ball to Sisa who ran half the pitch, trailing Hemel players in his wake, to touch down between the posts. Teddy converted to make 17-7 for Harrow. Oli Yaffe, playing powerfully in the pack, was fouled at the re-start and from the penalty, Sisa, with his trade-mark one-handed run, scored his second and Harrow’s fourth to make it Harrow 22 Hemel 7. Zach Nolan-Morgan took up the attack but the next try was to be Hemel’s, converted to narrow the score to Harrow 22 Hemel 14. Daniel McMahon came on for Sammy, and made his presence felt with several bulldozer charges into the Hemel pack. Sisa moved to centre and Ryan Burke – who had distinguished himself throughout the game with several runs through the Hemel lines and some determined tackling, moved to the wing. Hemel won the scrum – but thanks to quick movement by Ben and Harry, lost possession. Sisa worked the ball wide to Jay on the wing who flew down the line to stretch the lead to 27-14. There was more in Harrow’s tank, as Robin stole the ball from the back of the scrum and Gouldy and Jay combined well down the right. Another Harrow try was not to be, and the last score was for the visitors. Final score Harrow 27 Hemel 21.

A special mention to Daniel Duggan, who put in a fine performance for the (understrength) Hemel forwards.