Hitchin 7 v Saracens Amateurs 34

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Hitchin entertained newly promoted Saracens Amateurs on Saturday and were well beaten by a very competent and organised team.

From the kick off Saracens stated their intentions by forcing the young Hedgehog side into making errors which the visitors capitalized on throughout the game. There is little to be said after reaching half time 20 – 0 down and having to play “catch up rugby” for the whole of the game which can and often does create further errors. The fact that with new coach Dave Marshall working hard to rebuild and develop a young side it did not help that we were facing a side tipped for a third successive promotion in consecutive years in the first game of the season.

A first team debut was given to last year’s Colt’s captain Eddie Taylor who worked hard behind a struggling pack of forwards to provide quick ball for the backs to attack the visitors’ line. But, too many times players became isolated which resulted in turnover ball from which the Sarries team capitalized on scoring three first half tries. First team debuts were also given to newcomer and prop, Pat Dunne and colt Sam Wilson. Half time came with Hitchin having learnt painful lessons about protecting and using ball possession creatively.

Dunne was replaced at half time by Shaun Prutton and minutes later hooker Simon Banner was substituted, due to injury, and replaced by iconic Aidan Barnett in the front row. Coach Marshall’s half time team talk also resulted in Hitchin tightening up their game and the second half was a more even contest with backs, Bull, Kevans, Martin and debutante Sam Wilson making productive runs into the Saracens half. It was from such an attack that a period of quality possession and a series of rucks saw Barnett drive over for Hitchin’s try which was converted by fly half Lee Sheldrake.

This stimulated the Hedgehogs into more inspirational rugby but further problems occurred when they lost scrum half, Taylor, with a chipped elbow. New first XV captain Carwyn Morgan moved from full back and Dan Court came on as the final replacement. Saracens then finished the half by scoring two converted tries to make the final score 7 -34.

Coach David Marshall stated after the game “We were given a sharp lesson in how to make use of good possession but this is a very young Hedgehogs side and I know they will learn some important lessons from today’s game. Our pre-season training sessions have been well attended with 40 + attending and when we have our full squad we will definitely be a force to be reckoned with.”

New skipper Carwyn Morgan thanked his team for their commitment and never say die attitude which will help the team improve over the coming months.