Harpenden firmly cemented their mid table position against UCS Old Boys with their second consecutive bonus point win in London 2NW.

Herts Advertiser: Tennant runs with the ballTennant runs with the ball (Image: Archant)

In scoring six tries against a team who often belied their winless status this season with a gutsy, spirited display, they frequently produced some exciting rugby.

But they know they will have to step up markedly when they travel to St Albans on Saturday for what promises to be another enthralling local derby.

Head coach Matt Davies said: “There were lots of areas of our game that I was very happy with today. For example, I thought we kept the ball well and we were always positive in attack.

“We now face a tough challenge at St Albans. They are a good side who are well coached, and if we are to succeed, it’s absolutely essential that we match their physicality.”

Harps got to the best possible start when flanker Michael Goode touched down under the posts after just two minutes.

However, any thoughts they may have harboured that they were in for a stroll in the park were rudely shattered when UCS’s James May crashed over for a try on eight minutes from a rolling maul.

Two minutes later centre Nick Childs restored the difference with a well-taken try which followed a good run by fly-half Joe Tennant.

Goode blotted his copybook by being sin-binned on 20 minutes, forcing Harps to defend desperately for a while before left-wing Adam Stirling powered over for the try of the game. Like Harps’ first two, it was converted by Yannick Green.

Turning round 21-7 ahead, Harps were looking set for a comfortable win, but a poor defensive kick shortly after the restart enabled UCS to set up a quick counter attack and score through their captain James Boyd.

UCS desperately tried to equalise, but further tries from Goode and Stirling, on 72 and 77 minutes respectively, the second converted by Green, put the game beyond the West Hampstead outfit’s reach.

And although Alex Klimov scored a third try for UCS, replacement Dave Green atoned for his sin-binning at the start of the second half by touching down shortly before the final whistle.