Harpenden’s worrying slump in form continued against Enfield Ignatians when they were beaten 39-20 by a side who had lost all their previous matches this season.

Although they enjoyed a decent amount of possession, defensive frailties and a tendency to let their opponents turnover the ball too easily resulted in them shipping in five tries.

The defeat means they now languish in ninth place in London North West Two.

With no league game this weekend, Harps have an extra week in which to regroup and prepare for the visit to Redbourn Lane on October 22 of league leaders Old Haberdashers.

Harps, featuring a much changed back line for the second successive week, got off to a poor start, conceding two penalties in the first five minutes which opposition stand-off Jake Bates duly converted.

After hauling themselves back into the game Jack Haddock got three points back with a penalty kick on 15 minutes and for a while Harps appeared to have the upper hand.

However, on 25 minutes Enfield’s Cypriot international prop Chris Kasabi crashed over for a try and shortly afterwards a series of missed tackles allowed centre Robert Rigby to extend the hosts’ lead.

Harps gave themselves a glimmer of hope before the break when hooker Ollie Walliker was driven over the line for a try following a fine rolling maul, but Enfield quickly restored the status quo when left wing Cairo Sango raced down the touchline to score after Harps had given away the ball.

Harps’ misery was compounded early in the second half when Enfield full-back Jack Wilson, as he had done in the corresponding fixture between the two sides last season, intercepted a pass to touch down.

Another good try by Walliker and one by winger Dom Baldwin gave a more respectable look to the scoreline for Harps before Sango scorched away for a second try in the closing minutes.