HARPENDEN debutant Chris Hutson helped his team pull out all the stops to beat UCS Old Boys.

The teenage centre scored two tries as Harps put last week’s disappointing loss against London Nigerians behind with a convincing 33-17 win.

The match started with a bang: within four minutes fly half Joe Tennant sold a dummy from just outside the visitor’s 22 for an unconverted score. The celebrations were short-lived though as a scrum on Harps’ five yard line saw UCS number 8, James Boyd, pick up and power his way over for an unconverted try.

The rest of the first half belonged to UCS due to their superior scrimmaging, which suited David O’Dwyer, who looked a danger from the set pieces. In reply to an Aaron Wilde penalty, O’Dwyer fired a warning shot when he nipped in for a try.

Then, with two minutes remaining of the first half, flanker Callum Burns was able to take advantage of some loose marking on the blind side to go over – a try that James Boxer converted – to give the visitors a half-time lead of 8-17.

On the pack of coach James Alvis’ team talk, Harpenden’s pack began to function in the second half.

Robin Ajder and Emmitt Black dogged determination resulted in UCS conceding penalties and it wasn’t long before scrum half Jack Haddock’s penalty kick brought the score to within six points.

As the game enter the final 20 minutes, Harps went into another gear as Hutson and Tom Muskett scored three tries – two of which were converted by Muskett – to put the game beyond UCS.