Sat 9 Dec 2023
Saturday 9th December
Counties 2 Herts/Middlesex
Wasps Am 38 pts Hendon 20 pts
Hendon Came 2nd Again But Showed A New Spirit With 3 Tries
Wasps, 3rd in the league, were off the mark after 5 minutes with a pushover try from a 5-metre scrum as their heavier but mobile forwards took control. 7-0. But Hendon came straight back in attack with full back Michael Oyekanmi collecting a loose ball on the Hendon 22 to run to almost halfway to kick a great 50/22 for a Hendon throw. Rossa Dooley won the line out to scrum half Will Daley passing to fly half Rich Roberts to make the first break to feed Billy Yegon, avoiding 2 tackles to score a Cian Hynes converted try and Hendon was level 7-7. The scores stayed even until midway through the period when the away outfit was caught offside on their 22; after a handful of attempts to score Wasps, they were eventually awarded a try after valiant defence from all Hendon players. 14-7. Wasps heavier pack was now showing the upper hand and on the half-hour set up a maul near the try line to score 21-7. Hendon were now down to 14 players due to a yellow card offence but were on the attack with Wasps caught offside and Hynes slotting over to show a 21-10 score at the break.
Into the 2nd period, it was not long before Hendon conceded a penalty on the 10 line resulting in a backline move from Wasps to score a converted try 28-10. Hendon now playing into the wind again put pressure on the Wasps defence, who conceded a penalty quickly taken by Roberts, making the break to put away new player Milo Tingey to score for Hendon to close in at 28-15. With only 12 minutes on the clock, Wasps scored again to push well ahead at 33-15. Then came a brilliant score from Dooley picking up from the back of the scrum at No8 on the Hendon 10-metre line for Dooley to avoid x 4 tackle attempts as he ran half the pitch to score an unconverted try with the conversion hitting the post.33-20.
Could Hendon close the score even more and achieve a bonus point try; not for trying was the answer but leaving the door open for Wasps to score again as Hendon suffered a 2nd yellow card to finish at 38-20.
Hendon will be next at home in the New Year on January 13th playing promotion prospects Brunel University.
