HERTFORDSHIRE 39 LANCASHIRE 44
Lancashire took one further step towards the 2023 Sir Bill Beaumont County Championship Final at Twickenham on Sunday 28th May when they edged past Hertfordshire by 39-44 with a last minute try at Hertford RFC.
Hertfordshire had been overwhelmed by 19-70 against Yorkshire a week ago and Lancashire, despite long traffic hold-ups and a subsequent delayed kick-off, began in a fashion that suggested that this game might follow a similar course. In the 2nd minute fullback Jacob Browne found enough space to score the opening try. The conversion was missed but 0-5 was an ideal start.
The home County obviously hadn’t read the script as they hit back a couple of minutes later with a penalty and followed it up with their first try by centre Richard Streets. Another Herts penalty followed and they led by 11-5 in the 16th minute.
Fylde skipper Ben Gregory had notched two tries in Lancashire’s opening victory against Cheshire a week ago. In the 25th minute he was at it again with a try which was converted.
This was followed up on the half-hour by Gregory’s club team mate, flanker Toby Harrison, getting over the whitewash for a 11-17 lead. Surely this was the opening of the door to a string of scores by the Red Rose County. How wrong could we be?
The Stags hit back with a try to regain the lead only for this roller coaster of a match in the 39th minute to switch again when Lancs winger Tom Grimes scored down the left, once again unconverted, for a 18-22 lead. In injury time at the end of the 1st half, Hertfordshire scored their third try, another by centre Streets, and a 25-22 advantage at the break.
When Lancashire & Fylde no 8 David Fairbrother was shown a yellow card in the 48th minute, Hertfordshire took immediate advantage with a try by the excellent flanker Alex Banna and an increased lead of 32-22.
The game changed direction once again when Gregory notched his 2nd try of the day, followed on its heels by in the 60th minute by Tom Grimes’ 2nd try, again unconverted, and a lead of 32-34.
Herts weren’t finished and a couple of minutes later they claimed their fifth try of the afternoon when loosehead prop Josh Hewitt thundered under the posts to take a 5 point lead at 39-34. A shock win beckoned.
In the 69th minute Lancashire fullback Browne brought his side level at 39-all with his 2nd try, but what might have proved a vital conversion was missed.
The last ten minutes was very tense as both teams battled for the winning score. It went down to the last minute when Sedgley Park winger Rhys Henderson claimed the games’ 13th try after a fine 30m burst and a 39-44 final score.
Lancashire Head Coach Alex Loney said: “We’re really pleased with getting the result today. No doubt that the match vs Hertfordshire was a full blown county encounter, which ebbed and flowed, and needed us to dig deep to achieve a 5 point win. Obviously, we could have been more accurate in certain parts of the match, but when it mattered, we managed to put together positive phases of play.
“Travelling away for 5+ hours is always a challenge and I am proud of the players for how they prepared against a competitive side. Next week will be massive against a strong Yorkshire team. The players have had full club league seasons and next week is why they want to be involved in county rugby. I implore all Lancashire Rugby supporters to come along to Sedgley Park next week to be part of what will be a showcase of county rugby.”
Hertfordshire: Foster; Rudling, Venter, Streets, Stanford; Sharp (c), Elliott; Hewitt, Walliker, Samuel, Swift, Jordan, Banna, Fry, Funaki. Reps: Bond, Mckenna, Jones, Fitts, Jarman, Johnson, Rees.
Lancashire: Browne; Henderson, Wilkinson, Russell, Grimes; Hunt, Tansey; Birchall (c), Gregory, Rylance, Birtwell, Crowe, Harrison, Higginson, Fairbrother. Reps: Trippier, Bowker, Murray, Bentley, Richardson, Lanigan, Rawlings.
Photo: The Fylde contingent in the Lancashire squad at Hertford. Left to right:
Henry Higginson, Scott Rawlings, David Fairbrother, Tom Grimes, Toby Harrison, Corey Bowker, Ben Gregory, Adam Lanigan, Connor Wilkinson, and Head Coach Alex Loney.