Dan wiggins gets the ball away
Bottom-placed Barnet Elizabethans visited Old Hale Way on 5 January for the first league match of 2019 and gave their hosts a real wake up call.
Leading at halftime by two tries to one, they were forced to stand down a player after 20 minutes of the second half due to injuries to their front row, which in turn led to uncontested scrums. Hitchin took advantage of the extra player to run in three tries, although Barnet scored in the closing minutes to salvage a well-earned losing bonus point
Barnet kicked off and showed their intentions early by attacking deep into Hitchin territory and the home side was penalised for holding on. They kicked for the lineout, but the Hitchin defence held.
The game seesawed between both 22 metre lines until 20 minutes in, Hitchin had a scrum on the Barnet 5 metre line which came to nothing. Barnet regained possession, kicked over the Hitchin defence and win the race for the touchdown for a converted try.
After 35 minutes poor marking in defence let Barnet in for a further converted try under the posts.
Hitchin came straight back, with a great strong run by James Bolter and the recycled ball was cross kicked with pinpoint accuracy by Ben Wiggins, for Will Rooney to gather on the far left, and race in and score an unconverted try
Barnet missed an opportunity to go further ahead when a penalty attempt at goal went wide just before the interval.
Hitchin came out for the second half in attacking mode
Ali Southward started the fight back with a typical mazy run from the 22-metre line to score under the posts. Ben Wiggins added the conversion.
Halfway through the half, and back in the visitors’ 22, Dan Wiggins crossed for a try, converted by brother Ben, to bring the score to 19 -14 & give Hitchin the lead.
As the game entered 10 minutes injury time, a knock-on advantage was exploited by Wil Rooney to score the fourth try for Hitchin, and gain the bonus point.
With just 5 minutes on the clock, Barnet had the last word when a mistake in defence by Hitchin allowed them in for an unconverted try.
Next week, Hitchin host Hendon RFC KO 2pm
Team James Akrill, James Bolter, Sean McGinnity, Jonathan Welsford, Matthew Trussell, Rory Blackburn, Frederick Rooney, Thomas Spratt, Daniel Wiggins, Ben Wiggins, Adam Howard, Carwyn Morgan, Jonathan Whitby, William Rooney, Alistair Southward
Subs Chris Martin, William Sale, William Clifford
Scores T: William Rooney (2), Alistair Southward (1), Daniel Wiggins (1) C: Ben Wiggins (3)
The league: Herts/Middlesex 1