Colts, Huntingdon 14 - 19 Market Harborough

With only 14 players it was always going to be difficult to work out the defensive patterns required from set pieces to nullify the constant one man overload that threatened. Harborough started brightly enough and with a little more composure could have scored twice - but excitement turned to basic mistakes when ball retention would have done. As the game wore on Huntingdon were able to start to make the best of the one man advantage and with continuous possession stretched Harborough across the field. Two tries in quick succession, both with excellent conversions gave the home team a 14 point lead. From that point on Harborough played a well thought through game - turning the bigger Huntingdon forwards around with regularly well placed kicks from Durham, Noble and Clarke and excellent chasing and tackling from Bale and Perry the opposition started to tire. Some excellent line out work by Wilkie gained much needed possession in the Huntingdon 22 and following a series of brutal crashes their defence gave way as Helfet battered his way over to score. Durham converted.

Having got back into the game Harborough swiftly took the game to Huntingdon and following a pre planned crash move using Clarke up the middle the recycled ball went wide to Bale who brushed off three defenders to go under the posts. Again converted by Durham. Harborough were on top at this stage, and were moving through the phases regularly. In almost a repeat of the earlier finish the ball was worked wide to Godefroy who held off three defenders to score in the corner. Conversion missed the score at half time was the final score of the game.

The second half provided no scores it was a full on encounter. Tiring in the spring heat and being one man down Harborough spent much of the half defending. Whilst the entire team worked exceptionally hard some star defensive performances were seen from Willis, Gibson and Cadman. Huntingdon threatened the line a number of times but on each occasion the determination of Harborough not to be beaten came through. A really excellent performance from the entire 14