Lock Ryan Arbon on the charge
The Hedgehogs returned to winning ways in this home fixture. The pack laid the foundation for the victory, with an improved lineout performance and dominated the set piece scrums.
They lost prop Sean McGinnity on the stroke of half time to a red card, but with the impressive James Bolter moving from the back row to the front row, the set pieces did not suffer unduly
Kilburn kicked off but Hitchin were soon on the attack but two penalties in succession for the visitors saw Hitchin 10 metres out from their line, but the defence held up and they played down to the Kilburn half where a penalty against the visitors 25 metres out was pulled wide.
Good work by the Hitchin forwards both in the tight and in the loose ended with James Bolter going over for a try converted by Ben Wiggins.
A penalty for Hitchin was kicked for a lineout 20 metres out from the Kilburn line, from which Ryan Arbon caught the ball and ran through to score an n unconverted try.
Despite forcing and dominating three scrums within the five-metre area, Hitchin were unable to score until just before half time, when Dale Baines scored a captain’s try from a scrum.
10 minutes into the second half a Kilburn player dislocated his ankle and play was moved to the adjoining pitch. A line out on the Hitchin 5-metre line resulted in Kilburn going over for an unconverted try in the opposite corner.
Kilburn seemed to regain the momentum and a few minutes later forced their way over for another unconverted try to narrow the score 19-10 in favour of the home side.
However, Hitchin strung several phases together and worked the ball deep into the Kilburn 22 resulting in Tom Brown going over for an unconverted bonus point try.
With two minutes to go Ben Wiggins was denied a try with the referee judging the ball to be held up, but following the 5 metre scrum, Alex Baber-Norris forced himself over for an unconverted try to seal victory
Team Sean McGinnity, Stephen Freeman, Thomas Brown, Ryan Arbon, Matthew Trussell, Samuel Underwood, James Bolter, Dale Baines, William Evans, Benjamin Wiggins, Greg Ranson, Carwyn Morgan, Alexander Baber-Norris, Dominic Baber-Norris, Adam Shaw
Subs Joff Lord, Daniel Barnes, Harry Elleston
Scores T: Ryan Arbon (1), Thomas Brown (1), Alexander Baber-Norris (1), James Bolter (1), Dale Baines (1)
C: Benjamin Wiggins (2)
Player(s) of Match 1. Thomas Brown
The league: London 3 North West