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It was a dramatic and tense end to the season with a brilliant game of rugby playing out to the dying minutes as Pinner, second in the league to Hatfield, went to Roe Hill with all intentions of ruining the perfect season. A gloriously sunny day with a crowd in excess of 60 saw the home team stutter at the start as Pinner came out of the blocks firing in every position. The first ten minutes were ferocious as the away team threw everything at Hatfield and it was inevitable that they scored as their big number eight stormed through the Hatfield defense to score their first but, ultimately, their only points.
For Hatfield the entire first half was only about defense and it was an astonishing display by the Roe Hill club especially forwards Nick and Costas Koureas, centre Toby Garrett and wing John Thompson tackling tirelessly that stopped what could have been a route getting nowhere near the Pinner line at all;
Pinner however set up camp in the home teams twenty two and never looked like leaving. The second half was much the same but for the Hatfield forwards driven on in particular by captain George Stone and lock Damien Poulter finding their feet and putting a few phases together long enough to frustrate Pinner into giving away silly penalties. Russell Doyle stepped up and pocketed a difficult kick early on in the half to get Hatfield onto the board at last.
Both teams were now clearly agitated and the penalty count for both teams was the highest probably of the season but where Pinner chose to run theirs the home club took any opportunity for safety or the points and midway through Owen Doyle managed another conversion to get the score to 7 – 6.
Pinner will kick themselves for not taking a relatively easy kick at goal again choosing to run, they did gain the yards but Hatfield were never going to yield and the score did not come. It was down to the last five minutes when Pinner once again infringed this time earning their player a yellow card. It was by far the most difficult kick, well outside the twenty two and just ten in from the line but to the relief of the team and supporters Owen Doyle slotted the ball right through the middle.
It wasn’t long after that the referee blew for full time and Hatfield QEII finished their season unbeaten. Prop Adam Bowe was voted man of the match. This was by far the best season in Hatfield rugby clubs history and the celebrations became all the more buoyant as Hatfield’s second team returned with a brilliant 12 – 10 victory away at Hackney. They were 10 – 0 down at half time but came back with tries from Adam Pengelly and Calvin Doogle. Gareth Evans scored the winning conversion.
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