Datchworth 3 - 10 Finchley

Datchworth suffered a second successive defeat at home on Saturday. In a typical January match, the game wasn't hugely spectacular with only one try between two traditionally high scoring teams.

Datchworth actually got the first points of the game. Continual pressure led to Finchley conceding in front of the posts which captain and scrum half Tom Wood easily slotted the three points. Finchley came straight back at Datch and got their try. A well worked backs move saw their wing go under the posts. 7-3. Datchworth owned both territory and possession for the rest of the half but couldn't make it count. Luke Bennett had a try disallowed and the pack marched a scrum over from ten yards out, only for it to be oddly adjudicated that Finchley had wheeled it 90 degrees and thus wasn’t a try.

The second half was a dour affair, Finchley themselves had a disallowed try this time, though it was a similar pattern to the first half in that Datchworth dominated though didn’t convert their pressure to points. With five minutes remaining, Finchley slotted a penalty to make the score 10-3. With the last play of the game Datchworth had a lineout in Finchley’s five, though couldn’t make it count and Finchley ran out victorious.

Tom Bennett got a nasty ankle fracture midway through the first half and everyone wishes him a swift recovery so he’s ready to captain the cricket side come Summer. Saturday see’s Datchworth travel to local rivals Stevenage, 2pm kick off.