Tabard Rugby Club were denied a losing bonus point in their first game of the season – thanks to the last kick of the game.

It gave Old Haberdashers a 26-18 win at Cobden Hill in the London North West Three clash.

The hosts had played some promising rugby throughout but lapses of concentration at key periods handed the result to the visitors, who made the best of the wet and slippery conditions.

Tabard were guilty of not protecting the ball they worked so hard to secure and of giving too many unnecessary penalties.

The first was after two minutes for offside at a ruck and this allowed OH to put early points on the board.

Tabard responded with a good passage of play, eventually leading to Jack Reilly’s penalty from 35m sailing through the uprights to level the scores.

He almost put Tabard in front moments later but saw another kick for goal cannon back off the posts and it was the visitors who regained the advantage with a pushover try on 22 minutes.

Reilly did close the gap again two minutes from the break but another mental lapse saw Habs score in the corner for a 15-6 half-time lead.

Tabard started the half brightly but the constant rain was making handling difficult.

And after one knock-on the visitors stretched their lead thanks to their third try of the afternoon, before making it 23-6 with a successful penalty.

Tabard brought on John Tilley and Teddy Gough in the pack, and their fresh legs added much needed momentum to Tabard’s efforts.

Tilley in particular made some big dents in the OH defence and his offload to Leon Leonidas allowed him to cross for Tabard’s first try.

Reilly crossed for Tabard’s second after a powerful run which had seen him held up in the corner. The conversion moved the score on to 18-23 and with momentum now with the hosts, hopes were high.

However, that late kick meant Tabard’s efforts were for naught.