Tabard slip out of London One North after just one season

London One North

Letchworth 31 Tabard 5

TABARD were relegated from London One North afte failing to recover from a half-time deficit of 24 points to nil against Letchworth on Saturday.

The Cobden Hill side ended up the losers by 31 points to five and the defeat means that Tabard are relegated after just one season at this level.

Tabard’s first XV relegation contrasts starkly with the second team performance, who, with a 48-3 victory over Old Albanians on Saturday, added the Merit Table Cup to the Merit Table title they had already secured. The Tabard women’s team also won their league so it is with mixed emotions that Tabard ended their season.

In the Letchworth game, the home side played down the slope and were quickly able to put Tabard on the defensive, before taking an early lead with a penalty kicked by centre Smith. Letchworth then added three tries, from flanker Jag Johal, stand-off Joe Tyrell and prop Gary Glencross, all of which were converted, to give Letchworth their first half lead.

In the second half Tabard were not able to capitalise on the slope as much as their opponents and, despite some good attacks and strong scrummaging their only reward came in the 51st minute when flanker Cam O’Connor touched down after a controlled line out drive from the forwards.

The game was then an evenly matched affair although Tabard shaded the possession but they could not cross the line again. Virtually on full time, Letchworth ran a short penalty and centre Cottenham was over for the final score which Smith converted.

The final whistle then brought down the curtain on what had been a difficult season for Tabard. One in which, plagued by injuries, they never got going to their full potential.

Tabard: Jenkins, Offredy, Mitchell, Meade, Davis, Van der Vlugt, Gough, W Lake, Hart, B Lake, Kidd (O’Neill 60), Calnan (Astley 60), O’Connor, Ruston, Stoba.