They came within seconds of a first league win of the season but Harpenden saw it snatched away from them in cruel fashion as they lost 38-36 at Welwyn.
Four tries from Clare Cranfield and a brace for Charlotte Hamlyn-Williams was backed up by three conversions for Jenny Hunnable looked to be enough for the visitors to Hobbs Way but a converted try on the last play broke Harpenden hearts.
But so exciting was the game for both spectator and player alike that even despite the result it was still difficult to stop Harpenden’s player-manager Felicity Aubertin-Scriven from smiling.
That’s not to say she wasn’t hugely disappointed too.
“I’m absolutely beyond gutted,” she said. “When we scored that try with two minutes to go I genuinely thought we’d won it.
“It would have been the first league game we’d won this season so the fact we didn’t is horrible, especially as we could have tied and that would have been fine but they scored between the posts.
“But I think that was the best game of rugby we’ve played in ages and given we started with 13 and had 12 for most of it, that was brilliant.
“Welwyn are such a good, friendly and clean team as well, it was really nice to play them.
“It takes a lot to keep going but we’re used to it and we just get our heads up and go for it.
“We played our socks off in that last phase. It was just gutting not to get the score in the end.”
The match swung one way and then another with Harpenden at one point enjoying a 19-7 lead and with two minutes to go Hamlyn-Williams’ second put them five points ahead.
And it will take more than the rollercoaster of emotions to dent the enthusiastic Harpenden side.
“Morale is still high,” enthused Aubertin-Scriven. “We’re working really hard in training and we’re putting things together and every single game we see more and more bits come together.
“It’s really coming forward and if we had a full 15 I think it would have been different.
“The improvement we’ve had since out first game is amazing.”
And she is looking forward to the remainder of the season.
She said: “It’s such a dream to be playing regular matches and have such a good team around us. Scarlet Cooper-Wall and Dan Anderson are amazing coaches and we feel really together.
“We are genuinely excited for the games ahead.”
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