Despite falling to a 44-22 defeat at home to Barnet Elizabethans, two tries in the final two minutes gave UCS Old Boys what could prove to be a vital bonus point in their battle to beat the drop.
With Wasps also picking up a losing bonus point in their 20-15 loss to London Welsh Druids, it’s as you were at the bottom of Herts Middlesex One ahead of next week’s final round of league fixtures.
That means UCSOB remain bottom just one point behind Wasps but with a better win record meaning they could require just one more bonus point to avoid relegation.
UCSOB are back at home against near neighbours Hendon while Wasps face a daunting trip to third-placed London French.
Those final two minutes against Barnet saw first Christian Henk barrel over from a driving maul before winger Tom Loughnan scorched over in the final seconds for UCSOB’s fourth try over the day.
Loughnan had already done a passable impression of Japan’s Bullet Train in the first half powering over in the corner for the first Old Boy score.
Try number two had came midway through the second half from captain Tom Arnold with a superbly-angled run.
Barnet though kept the scoreboard ticking over all afternoon to take the win but there was plenty for UCSOB to be proud of and plenty to give them confidence ahead of next week’s must-win derby clash.
The front row led one memorable forwards’ charge into the opposition 22, while shortly afterwards the indomitable Stefan Filip at no.8 showed gritty tackling skill, bulldozing an opposition winger into touch.
The half-back combination of Arthur Coates behind the scrum and Dave O’Dwyer outside showed calm control of UCS put-ins to scrums and wins at the breakdown.
And Turkish international Mert Zabci in the second row showed leaping abilities akin to that of a salmon in more than one line-out.
If UCSOB can produce a similar effort on Saturday, they will be hopeful of escaping the basement spot.
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