Verulamians capped a superb season with a successful defence of their Herts Presidents’ Trophy crown against Barnet Elizabethans at Allianz Park.

The 53-10 win means the Cotlandswick-based rugby club completed the double, after securing the Herts Middlesex One title a few weeks ago.

Having beaten Barnet twice in the league season they were confident going into the encounter at the home of Saracens.

But they ended up exceeding expectations, running in a total of eight tries.

Josh Lawrence, Cameron Craig and Tom Maile all scored two with Joe Seymour and Eoin Aherne getting the others.

The impressive aspect to Vees play early on was their scrummaging and one won against the head led to Seymour opening the scoring in the fifth minute.

But what became more apparent as the game progressed was their lines of running and off-loading out of the tackle.

Time after time Vees were able to find a gap in the Barnet defensive line, which become more ragged as the game went on.

And it wasn’t just the backs who were responsible; the forwards also got in on the act with Lawrence and Mike Ainsworth chief amongst it.

Four more tries followed before half-time, as well as a Maile penalty, with Matt Greenwood getting a lone reply for Barnet.

Kieran Porter got a solitary score in the second period for the Elizabethans, who did make a fist of it after the interval, but Verulamians had kept their own pressure up and Maile scored his brace.

Aherne rounded off the try scoring, the recipient of a two-on-one break down the left wing.

Maile’s kick, his fourth successful conversion, just crept over to finish the scoring and complete an excellent day out.

Verulamians: Bloomfield, Lawrence, Mack, Ainsworth, Wildey, Baker, Westhead, Hollister, Craig, Lewis, Aherne, Maile, Seymour, Bruce, Kehane

Replacements: Graham, Ramdani, Poulain, Waters

Tries: Seymour 5, Craig 12, 16, Lawrence 30, 38, Maile 46, 67, Aherne 77

Conversions: Maile 5, 38, 46, 77

Penalties: Maile 24

Barnet: Scrutton, Porter, Bailey, Healy, Wilkins, Yeboa, McArdle, Greenwood, Harris, Archbold, Hart, Eade, Gardiner, Cassidy, Dewan

Replacements: Cameron, Davies, Louca, Pangratiou

Tries: Greenwood 28, Porter 62

Conversions:

Penalties:

Referee: P J Russell

HT: Verulamians 34 Barnet Elizabethans 5