Hendon touched down four times but only had the bonus point to show for it as a poor defensive display condemned them to a 41-30 home defeat against Thamesians in Herts/Middlesex Division Two.

The visitors set the early pace and broke the deadlock with the first try after 10 minutes, but the home side struck back to equalise as John Paul Cremin finished off a back-line move on the wing.

Hendon’s pack had the upper hand in the forwards’ battle, and Brian O’Regan and Mark Ivers both scored from driving mauls, but Thamesians’ back line outmanoeuvred Hendon to score three times themselves – one of them converted – to take a 22-15 lead.

Mike Jones slotted over a penalty just before the break, narrowing the gap to four points. However, Thamesians were playing downhill in the second half and were quick to take advantage.

Hendon were complicit in their own downfall as they failed to defend adequately, and the visitors ran in three more tries – two of them converted – in a 25-minute spell to establish a 41-18 lead.

The home side rallied in the last 15 minutes, with Hendon’s forwards regaining the initiative, and Ivers scored his second try, while Jones added the extras.

Paul Geraghty then capped a fine performance with a try in the corner to cup the deficit to 11 points, but there was no time for Hendon to test Thamesians’ nerves further.