Belsize Park stretch lead at the top with Letchworth win
Belsize Park pose for the camera after their latest win (Pic: Mark Liebling) - Credit: Archant
Belsize Park continued to stretch their lead at the top of London Two North West with a 33-19 win against Letchworth Garden City.
The strength of the wind down the hill and straight from end-to-end was always going to dominate the character of the game with hosts Letchworth using it to their advantage early on.
The early exchanges were fierce but balanced, before eventually the Letchworth fly-half kicked accurately to the corner down the slope.
Exiting the 22 into the fierce breeze was tough and eventually the pressure told with a line break through the 10/12 channel resulting in an early home lead.
Belsize had to respond early to avoid letting a side who must be low on confidence in with a proper sniff.
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And heavy pressure in the Letchworth 22 and repeated attacks on the try line from a dominant forward pack manoeuvred enough space for captain Brendan O’Brien to pick a pass for centre Cam Roberts who crashed over on an angle from five metres.
Two lineout mauls in a row were driven over with, Harrison George, in the armchair at the back picking up the two tries.
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Such ruthless efficiency at the set-piece left the score at 19-7 with one of the two conversions successful.
A well worked 8/9/15 move by Letchworth from the scrum on the blindside just inside their own half left Belsize scrambling and short of numbers.
And baliant efforts to track back were in vain as the half finished with the match in the balance once again.
The territory was all Belsize’s in the second half with George Humphries’ metronomic left boot ably taking advantage of the weather gods and pinning Letchworth back.
Repeated failed exits were eventually capitalised on by maverick full back, Jamie Niven, who walked in to give his side a 26-12 lead.
Scott Docherty careered towards the retreating defence, drew two men, then freed his arms for a back-door offload out of the tackle that left winger Liebling with the easiest of walk ins.
And a consolation score came from the persistent home side completed the scoring late on.
