There was double success for St Albans Rugby Club as both their first and second teams enjoyed big cup wins.
The second team got things off to a great start by claiming the Herts Middlesex Merit Table Four Cup with a 29-13 win over Hendon.
Led by skipper Scott Mineikis this was a brilliant performance by the Boggymead club’s second string and with the wind at their backs in Cheshunt they charged into a 15-0 lead, courtesy of tries from John Sayers and Conor Mayer and a conversion and penalty for Joe Nelson.
Defence was the name of the game after the break and although Hendon managed two tries and a penalty of their own, Saints maintained their composure.
And another try from Sayers together with a superb individual score from full-back Ollie Askew-Fountain, fielding a high kick on his own 22 before returning it all the way saw them home to lift the trophy.
One day later and it was the first team’s turn to win silverware – thanks to a 22-17 win over Hitchin in the Herts Presidents’ Trophy final.
The sides had claimed one win each in the league although it was the north Herts side that went on to take the title and win promotion.
But St Albans started the match at great pace with the pack dominant in both the set pieces and in the loose and like their second team they managed to build up a 15-0 lead.
George Elliott kicked a penalty and a conversion while George Saunders and Charles Woollard were the two try scorers.
By half-time Hitchin had re-grouped and scored to narrow the gap to 15-12 and a try with 10 minutes to go seemed to have swung the tie in the Hedgehogs’ favour.
It had started from a Saints attack but when the ball went loose Hitchin pounced and a long kick forward saw them win the foot race.
Fortunately this went unconverted and any disappointment St Albans had at going behind was soon forgotten.
From the restart they won a turnover inside the Hitchin half and after some good work by the forwards, Ross Taylor broke through and side-stepped the full back to score under the posts.
And from there Elliott’s conversion sealed the deal.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here