Pettit’s hat-trick is a bonus for Hampstead in defeat at HAC
Hampstead's Will Pettit (centre) scored a hat-trick in the defeat to HAC. Pic: Paolo Minoli - Credit: Archant
Will Pettit scored a hat-trick in Hampstead’s high-scoring 65-28 defeat away at HAC, securing a four-try bonus point which helped to keep them outside the relegation zone in London Division Two North-West.
HAC put phase after phase together in a frantic opening 20 minutes, but they couldn’t cross the line and had to settle for a penalty.
When Hampstead did get their hands on the ball, they lacked some direction and an interception – the first of three on the day – led to the home side’s first try.
But Hampstead were up for the fight, hitting back with a Pettit try, and when Dan Dimoline slotted the conversion between the sticks with five minutes of the first half remaining, a tight, low-scoring game was unfolding.
However, a miss-hit clearance did not find touch and HAC scored with the last play of the period to take a 15-7 lead into the break – and the floodgates opened in the second half.
There were 71 points scored in total – 50 of them by HAC, with many resulting from Hampstead errors and some awful tackling.
On the positive side, Pettit touched down twice more and veteran full-back Guy Dobson also crossed the whitewash to clinch a bonus point.
Most Read
- 1 Five jailed after 'cold blooded' murder of Enfield father
- 2 Hampstead Town's first Labour councillor stands down weeks into office
- 3 Crouch End pub ransacked and charity money stolen
- 4 Olympic ace opens Highgate primary school's new running track
- 5 5 of the best things to do with kids in north London
- 6 Walking book club: Hampstead Heath, Death and The Penguin
- 7 Cartoonist creates celebrity tube stops
- 8 Renaissance painting discovered in pensioner's bedroom sells for £255k
- 9 Highgate pub landlords to appeal restrictive licence approval
- 10 7 of the best Chinese restaurants with delivery in north London
“It was a bizarre game of rugby,” said stand-in captain Andy McEwen. “To be so close at half-time and then leak so many points is very disappointing. There’s a lot to work on in the new year.”
