With London 1 South this season it feels like nothing is going to be straightforward or predictable. The hosts this week had their pitch pulled by the Royal Parks commission on Thursday and then booked a pitch at 2.30 on the grass at Chiswick RFC. Later Havant learned that they would have a 12.30 KO on Chiswick's AGP only for Belsize's committee to change their minds and give their 5th team match precedence and the London 1 game was back on grass.

On arrival the pitch that had been allocated turned out to be the third team pitch and was more akin in width to an U13s pitch and was clearly not suitable for a game of this quality - either a masterstroke by the hosts or they cannot have known that was where the game would be played.

The game itself reflected largely what can be achieved by two expansive teams on a pitch only a little over 50 metres wide. Very little rugby was played by either team and when the teams did try to play it was almost impossible to break down the very crowded defensive wall.

The game opened in bright sunshine only to be followed in rotation by sleet, wind, rain, hail and back to full sunshine. The support for both teams braved the conditions and made themselves heard and with no barriers at the sides of the pitch often spilled into the playing surface in their enthusiasm.

Belsize got off to a fast start and scored a try from close range within 2 minutes. A series of drives from the base of rucks and they bundled over, converting to get the full 7 points.

Within 8 minutes both sides had lost a player to the sin bin. Havant's Will Brock getting a 10 minute rest for involvement in a 'scuffle'.

While Brock was off the field Belsize gained an advantage. As a five metre scrum wheeled even though Belsize had clearly, at this point knocked the ball on, and Havant scrum-half, Wes Dugan, had dived in to reclaim possession. The strength and resolution of the Belsize cries of 'penalty try' clearly had an effect and the referee trotted under the posts as the bemused Havant pack looked on.

Havant struggled to hold onto the ball in the conditions and this meant that there was very little in the way of the flowing rugby that the Havant faithful have grown accustomed to and the shapes that the team train to use were almost impossible to play in such cramped conditions.

Will Owen managed to break the Havant gloom with a powerful surge to crash over and Joel Knight added the conversion.

As Havant started to get a little more control Belsize were guilty of giving away too many penalties and with those in range were punished by the boot of the Havant fly-half as he knocked over two to narrow the score to 1 point.

With the clock in the red at the end of half one. Belsize took a quick tap, Armandus Morgan stopped them playing quickly and received a yellow for his efforts and Belsize knocked over the penalty.

Half-time: Belsize Park 17 Havant 13

If the first half had been poor the second didn't get much better, playing into the wind Havant showed more ambition and made some ground but were stifled by a solid Belsize defence. When the visitors did make breaks too often their was a lack of support or the ball was spilled.

The home team seemed to have shut up shop from 20 minutes out and didn't attempt to play any rugby. With Havant pressing there was a stream of penalties given away by the London men as Havant tried to find a way through. Joel Knight knocked one of these over and the score was again a one-pointer.

In the final 20 Havant pretty much camped in the Belsize half and battered away but were not able to break through and then came the moment that all Havant's supporters have become accustomed to over the last few weeks! The last kick of the game.

This week's version was for Joel Knight to take the win but unfortunately it just sailed across the front of the posts and Havant were left to reflect on what might have been.

The performance by the Havant side was disappointing, and felt like a reflection of the day.

Havant coach Will Knight was clearly disappointed and frustrated by the game and the events that had taken place,

"The boys are gutted and quite angry. Everyone gives a huge commitment to the cause and we have had a pretty dismal experience here. To be asked to play on this pitch is inappropriate, I can only believe that Belsize had no idea what they were booking. Perhaps London or the RFU need to make it more explicit to clubs that 1st XV league rugby should take precedence over their other club games. We offered to take the early kick off and would have stayed for a late one if that is what was needed. If we had known what we were walking into before the day I have no doubt we would have declined."

"That said we had our chances and we need to reflect on that, the important thing now is how we react and move forward. We have a couple of weeks and then we are back in with big games against Horsham and Westcombe Park. The boys will be ready and bounce back."