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Hampstead "Comeback Kings" overhaul battling Letchworth

Hampstead "Comeback Kings" overhaul battling Letchworth

Jon Boyle15 Sep 2019 - 20:36
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Men overturn 19-0 deficit to run out winners at the death

Hampstead's 1st XV recorded their first win of the new campaign on Saturday but did it the hard way, coming back from 19-0 down to defeat Letchworth 21-19 with a barnstorming last quarter.

Trailing 7-0 at half-time, Hampstead gave up a further two tries, only one of which was converted, to leave themselves with a mountain to climb with just 20 minutes to go.

While defensively Hampstead put in an enormous shift all afternoon, in attack they finally clicked in the 63rd minute when they were awarded a penalty try after repeated infringements near the Letchworth line.

Ten minutes later, Hampstead should have been awarded a second penalty try when a Letchworth defender deliberately knocked the ball forward when Hampstead, with a two-man overlap, seemed certain to score.

The foul play resulted instead in a yellow card, Letchworth's second of the afternoon, and inside centre Pete Bicknell made the extra man count, carving through the defensive line to touch down behind the posts. Craig Harper added the extras.

And with only minutes remaining on the clock, right wing Dave Brandon capped a thrilling Hampstead come back, snatching hold of a pass at knee height while in full flow to score near the posts and tie the game.

Harper, Hampstead's man-of-the-match, held his nerve to convert, capping off a bravura performance by the scrum-half, who kicked well from hand and marshalled his forwards expertly all afternoon.

Max Moncrieff at No. 8 was a pillar of strength throughout the game, tackling like a fury, winning turnover after turnover and carrying well. Fly-half Arthur Haynes also shone with his darting runs and his boot to a loose ball, followed by a hard chase and vital tap tackle, allowed the defence to recover shape.

It had all been so different at the hour mark. While just seven points behind at the turn around, Hampstead were even deeper in trouble within minutes of the restart. Letchworth capitalised on a knock-on as Hampstead sought to run the ball out of defence, scoring a converted try soon after the restart. Barely 10 minutes later, they were in again for another five-pointer.

This time, however, the visitors missed the conversion. That miss, together with an easy penalty that also sailed the wrong side of the posts, cost Letchworth the game. The defeat was a crushing disappointment for the visitors, who twice came up short against Hampstead last season despite dominating much of the play.

Hampstead face another tough examination at the weekend, when a strong Chiswick side visit north London for Hampstead's traditional “Ladies Day” event. Kick-off 3pm.

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