Harpenden Rugby Club claimed London North West Two bragging rights with a come-from-behind 29-8 win over near neighbours Tabard at Redbourn Lane.

For Harpenden it partially erased the memories of their drubbing at Welwyn two weeks previously but Tabard, who had shocked Old Haberdashers in their last outing, will be left thinking of what might have been.

The victory lifts Harpenden into fifth place, while Tabard remain just outside the relegation zone in 10th.

The Radlett-based visitors started by the better of the two sides and were eight points to the good after just 10 minutes.

Jack Reilly kicked a penalty on five minutes before Teddy Gough touched down for a try.

However, those points jolted Harpenden into action and from the resulting restart Tom Sweeney was able to pounce on the ball and touch down under the posts before adding two points with a successful conversion.

Skipper Michael Goode, making a welcome return from injury, then went over for a try following a rolling maul before Sweeney took his personal tally to seven with a penalty.

The heavy pitch resulted in a scrappy start to the second half but it was the hosts who got their act together first when Bobby Tane went over in the right-hand corner.

And with 15 minutes to go another period of sustained pressure saw stand-off Ollie Mann dance through a gap in the Tabard defence to bring up the bonus point try.

Flanker Ryan Gue, winner of the man-of-the match award, said: “This was a good win against determined opposition who never let up for one moment.”

Harpeden’s next game takes them to second-placed Hammersmith & Fulham on Saturday while Tabard host HAC.