Hemel Hempstead 70

Old Haberdashers 16

Herts/Middlesex League

Old Habs slumped to a near-record loss in their opening league encounter on Sunday after poor tackling led to a second half rout by a greatly improved Hemel side.

Weakened by the absence of several key players, OH travelled to Hemel in hope buoyed up by last season's convincing victory over their rivals.

And having weathered the initial storm OH took the lead when a good line-out ball from Martin Hill won them a penalty, which Bitmead duly converted.

Although Hemel soon shot back with a well-worked try, OH continued to look dangerous in attack and regained the lead with a second Bitmead penalty.

The game continued to see-saw with two more Hemel tries countered by a third OH penalty to make the score 21-9 after half an hour. Then came the two crucial moments, with OH losing main line-out jumper Hill through a damaged ligament and then having a try by Cameron disallowed dead on the stroke of half-time.

Old Habs contributed to their own downfall with an appalling start to the second half, in which a complete failure to make first-up tackles enabled Hemel to run seven tries in an amazing 15 minute burst.

Amidst such disaster OH did manage to pull themselves together for the final quarter.

After applying the pressure for five minutes OH were rewarded with a try when McNeil was taken out when going over for a well-worked score.

An Old Habs player said: "It was very disappointing. It was a bad performance and we needed to put more effort in."

Old Habs face London New Zealand on Saturday at home in the league.

OH: Bitmead, Cameron, Bannister, Griffiths, Hughes, Charles, Rossney, McNeil, Hartley, Hill (Baker, Gould), Reeves, Curry, Hurley, Larder.

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