St. Albans welcomed UCS Old Boys for the Herts/Middx. 1 League fixture on Saturday. Saints were looking to improve their promotion challenge whilst the visitors needed a win to get their season moving.

For UCS this was going to be a tough call, as from the outset St. Albans mounted a series to blistering attacks, after the first quarter the game was effectively over as a competitive fixture. Saints had raced into a 33 – 0 lead with trys from Fraser Morris x 2, George Sanders, Andy Sinton and Charles Wollard.

St. Albans moved further ahead with a George Elliott try and then appeared to sit back, as if to admire their handiwork. UCS needed no further invitation and quickly scored two unconverted trys, as the home side gifted them the opportunity with some careless play.

As if startled from their torpor St. Albans got back to the job in hand and Shaun Rafter added a converted try to make the score 45 – 10 at the break.

The half time team talk must have galvanised St. Albans as quickly they added further trys from the restart, two from the dynamic Syd Noad and another from Joe Seymour.

Again, complacency crept into Saints game and they were punished as UCS pulled back a further score.

St. Albans had to refocus, and this they did scoring four further trys from George Saunders, Sam Howell, Joe Shaw and Joe Seymour. It had almost become a procession but as soon as Saints let their guard down UCS took their chance and were able to score a fourth try which provided them with a bonus point.

Saints did have the last play of the day when Will Latham added the “coup de grace” and finally let UCS off the field to the relief of their players.

The final score was 95 – 20 with St. Albans scoring fifteen trys, ten of which were converted by George Elliott.

The Plough at Sleapshyde sponsored the St. Albans man of the match award with Sydney Noad, who produced yet again another “action man” display both in defence and attack, as the recipient.

Without doubt this was a powerful performance from St. Albans, and the pace and penetration of their three-quarter line was impressive. What lessons need to be learnt? Functioning as a team is vital, maintaining discipline and keeping shape whilst retaining the ball, these are all factors that need to be second nature.

Next week Saints play L. Scottish Lions and will face a very different challenge when they entertain them at Boggymead.