Elliot Gibson Player of match
Hitchin recorded their second win of the season, to climb to 8th in the league after a home 5-point bonus point victory against old rivals Finchley
The visitors kicked off into the Hitchin 22 where the home side were penalised for being offside and were promptly 3 points down.
A series of penalties against Finchley ended with Hitchin electing for a scrum 8 metres out. from which Ryan Arbon scored from a pass by James Bolter. Ben Wiggins kicked the conversion via the uprigt.
A strong run by Number 8 Armel Baufume was continued over the line by Jonathan Welsford but the referee adjudged it to be held up. From the resulting scrum Elliot Gibson scored , the conversion failing.
However, Wiggins was successful with his next kick, a scrum penalty against Finchley.
A good kick into the corner was rewarded with a Hitchin lineout from which they drove over the maul for Stephen Freemen to touch down , Wiggins again converting off the upright. .
From a breakdown on the Hitchin 10 m line Finchley got the ball to their winger who outflanked the defence to score under the posts for a converted try.
The first half was brought to a close with a penalty against Finchley for not releasing, which was successfully converted by Wiggins to bring the score to Hitchin 25 Finchley 10
The strong wind that had assisted Hitchin in the first half abated somewhat, and Hitchin’s defence held out against early advances by Finchley.
A penalty for Hitchin was kicked for the lineout, from which James Bolter crashed over for a try, converted from near touch by Wiggins
Hitchin spent much of the last quarter in the visitors’ half and were pressing on the line, when a further penalty by Wiggins brought the final score to Hitchin 35, Finchley 10.
Elliot Gibson, back in his favoured position of scrum half, won the player of the match award
Team Thomas Brown, Stephen Freeman, James Bolter, Ryan Arbon, Jonathan Welsford, Samuel Underwood, Ruiri Shanahan, Armel Baufume, Elliot Gibson, Benjamin Wiggins, Greg Ranson, Carwyn Morgan, William Clifford, Adam Shaw, Ciaran Sale
Subs Dale Baines, Matthew Trussell, Harry Elleston
Scores T: Stephen Freeman (1), James Bolter (1), Ryan Arbon (1), Elliot Gibson (1)
C: Benjamin Wiggins (3)
P: Benjamin Wiggins (3)
The league: London 3 North West