Hitchin were back on home turf - in outstanding condition, given the wet weather we have had. Thanks to Messrs Tasko and Baines for the countless hours they put in to preparing such a top quality surface.

Hemel Hempstead were the opposition, yet to win an away match but having improved their home form with 2 big wins.

Hemel earned their opener within 2 minutes, their big forwards putting them in position, and the Left Winger winning the chase to a clever grubber kick.

The visitors fumbled the kick off, and Prop James Bolter and Centre Simon Taylor put Hitchin on the front foot. Scrum Half Kieran Gilmour sensed an opportunity on the blindside, and fed Winger Harry Dowrick, who slid outside his defender to score. 4 minutes in and both sides were on the score sheet!

Each side fought for territory with the boot, and Hitchin won this battle when Hemel were pinged for obstruction. Co-Captain Ben Wiggins put us deep in Hemel territory, and from the lineout a maul rolled the final 10 metres for Co-Captain Ruiri Shanahan to touch down.

Hemel lost another kicking battle when Wiggins elected to chip into space, and his Half Back partner Gilmour scooped up the favourable bounce to accelerate around the final two defenders and score under the posts.

The away side exited well from their own try line, and scored the next points when they kicked a penalty through the sticks from 30 metres out.

Dowrick's 50-22 kick gave the Hedgehogs a lineout 5 metres from the line, and Shanahan delivered the throw to Number 8 Nick Panton in challenging conditions. The maul was disturbed, but two phases later Second Row Matt Trussell span out of contact to cross the line, securing Hitchin's bonus point on the half hour.

Panton got a hand to a lineout inside the Hemel 22, and Second Row Matty Knight collected the ball. A strong carry from Flanker Sam Underwood sucked in defenders, allowing Taylor the space to escape two half tackles and scored Hitchin's fifth try.

Hemel scored a curious second try before half time. Hemel possession was allowed to continue, despite being in close proximity to their physio and an injured player. Perhaps distracted by this, the Hitchin defence was found wanting by a pick and go, which was offloaded to a supporting runner to score. Halftime score Hitchin 31-17 Hemel Hempstead.

The Hitchin pack won a scrum penalty against the head early in the second half. The resultant lineout was kicked to 5 metres, and Shanahan delivered the ball to Panton. The maul rolled over the line, and Shanahan dotted down.

A dropped ball in midfield was collected by a Hemel back, who kicked through. Dowrick won the chase, and found touch under intense pressure. Hitchin failed to clear their lines, knocked on and conceded an offside penalty, which Hemel tapped and scored, practically untouched. The successful conversion meant Hemel remained within two scores at 38-24.

Wiggins right boot was working overtime today, and the policy was bearing fruit, as the kick chase was forcing Hemel to make handling errors in their own half. An utterly dominant scrum was earning penalties at will, and from one of these, Hitchin tapped and scored on the second phase, from an intelligent Wiggins grubber kick chased up by returning Full Back Gregor Smith.

An awful leg injury to a Hemel player resulted in a 5 minute pause in play for diagnosis and treatment. Our thoughts and best wishes go to this player for his recovery.

Shanahan ran a hard line off a scrum, and a long pass from Gilmour found Wiggins in front of the last defender. A simple pass to Smith gave Hitchin their eighth try, with fifteen minutes to play.

It was by no means one way traffic, as Hemel ploughed forward in search of a bonus point on a difficult day. A scrum penalty 15 metres from our own line was welcome relief.

Wiggins found Shanahan, now at Centre, on a superb line outside his opposite man. Shanahan drew the final defender and passed to Smith, who weighted a kick through when confronted with the Full Back. Gilmour was there in support, and won the chase to the kick to touch down.

Shanahan was held up over the line, but the goal line dropout did not escape the Hemel 22. After 4 phases at short range, Flanker Ben Lokos collected the ball from a ruck and burrowed over the try line, which brought about the final whistle.

Ten try Hitchin retain third place in Counties 3 Herts, with their next League opponents being Fullerians, six points behind but with a game in hand, in an away fixture on 14th February. Next up, an away match at Saffron Walden, in the 3rd round of the RFU Plate competition on 31st January.