Datchworth slide up to 3rd in London 3 NW

Both sides wanted to play some running rugby, and spread the ball about despite the wet conditions; the early exchanges included plenty of turnovers. The villagers however got off to the perfect start, with Billy Gatfield crossing the line well within the first ten minutes. Winger James Watt ran a good line inside to burst through the middle, with Alex Nolan in support looping round to his left. Matt Francis made yards from the second phase before the forwards drove for the line - Gatfield with the ball.

Datchworth spent the next ten minutes camped in the OMT half, as the visitors tried to run the ball out of defence - previous kicks for territory were being well-countered by the back three of Barry Malone, Tom Bennett, and Watt. Any successful line breaks were met by Jake Ebhodaghe pouncing on every opportunity to make a tackle.

Taylors' first attack was swift, as they moved up the left touchline with an overlap. Cutting back infield, space opened up for the far corner but loose ball was kicked through by Watt. Stuart Young followed up to win a penalty - a quick tap and go looked to set up Datchworth's second, but the ball was spilled before the line.

The forwards built more pressure through carries by Tom Blackwell, Francis, Sam McBroom and Young - before quick hands from Tom Wood spread the defence. Brunton sent the play back the other way, and Sam Thornton finished off with an outstretched arm. Wood added the extras for a 12 point cushion.

Moving up through the gears, the home side were looking hard to compete against - clever kicking from Sam Brunton kept OMT pinned in their 22, and a more direct approach from the forwards was wearing down the defence. Another chance came again from a Brunton nudge, the defender kicking the ball into touch. Tom Bennett seized the opportunity of a quick lineout, creating a two-man overlap only to see the ball slip out of hand once more. Datchworth won the ball back at the scrum, and with it a penalty which Wood duly stoked in between the uprights.

The last ten minutes of the half saw Datchworth on the back foot; down to 14 men after a yellow card for Ross Merrilees, and with a reshuffled back line - the injured Ed Cockburn's scrum half berth being filled by Tom Bennett.

With Merrilees back from the bin at the start of the second half, it wasn't long before the third try came. Gatfield showed some skill with a not-so-subtle show and go, setting up a platform for the backs. Matt Francis linked up and went over next to the posts. Another conversion for Wood made it 22-0.

From the restart, the home side were straight back at it but a dropped ball out wide was intercepted for an easy run in and OMT's first points.

Datchworth held onto the ball for the next period. OMT had some success at the breakdown, slowing down the home side's progress but the bonus point finally came with fifteen minutes to go. With OMT on the counter attack, Jake Ebhodaghe made a last-ditch cover tackle on the halfway line - and Bennett made the steal before the support arrived. A little perplexed in what was uncharted territory for the scrum half, he took a deep breath, shut his eyes and ducked into the oncoming tacklers and set the next phase. Gatfield arrived, taking slow ball and making yards having offered the dummy to Francis. Quick hands from Bennett then found Wood, and Sam Brunton's dummy line made space for Nolan and Watt - the latter finishing from 40 yards.

The home side had one final attack, Stu Young bursting through the middle to set Bennett off on a weaving run. The final pass to finish the move was ambitious, and went to ground albeit backwards - Potter in support to secure and win a penalty. OMT turned over the resulting scrum and cleared.

Wood bagged another three points with a penalty to stretch the lead to 30-5 but that was the last of the action - other than a cameo appearance from captain Nick Gudgin, returning from injury for a 5 minute trot in the front row.

A solid win means Datchworth are now 3rd, just a single point behind Old Streetonians and only eight points from the top.
Preparation now will be for the two remaining matches before the Christmas break - visits to Verulamians and Cheshunt - both expected to be tough encounters so the villagers will be hoping they can maintain their form.