London League Two NW Tabard 21 Hemel Hempstead 7 Although well on top in the scrums Tabard found it extremely difficult to score on Saturday but finally managed to keep their unbeaten record with a win over local rivals Hemel Hempstead. From the start

London League Two NW

Tabard 21

Hemel Hempstead 7

Although well on top in the scrums Tabard found it extremely difficult to score on Saturday but finally managed to keep their unbeaten record with a win over local rivals Hemel Hempstead.

From the start it looked like the game was going to be hard and fast.

In the second minute Tabard passed the ball out quickly and centre Keiran Murphy made the final yards but he was tackled as he went over the line and the referee decided that the ball had been held up.

This decision then set the tone for the rest of the game and neither side found the crucial rhythm needed as the game was not allowed to develop and some of the decisions given to both sides were difficult to understand from the touchline.

In fact, towards the end of the half Hemel also crossed the line and the referee again said the ball was held up, a decision that so incensed the Hemel coach that his verbal annoyance was punished by the referee banning him from the touchline.

Before this incident, Tabard's stand off Jack Reilly had converted a penalty in the 16th minute and then, as the half drew to a close, Tabard got their first try. A powerful drive on a Hemel scrum caused it to wheel over 90 degrees and Tabard then got the put in.

The ball was heeled cleanly and passed quickly out. Centre Gerald Arasa made the initial break before passing to full back Steven Jenkins, who went over in the corner, to give Tabard a half time lead of eight points to nil.

In the second half both sides found scoring difficult although Tabard had some fine runs with number eight Scott Stoba, wing Tom Woodhead and Jenkins all coming close but the tries just did not materialise.

Midway through the half Reilly kicked Tabard three further points clear but the game was stop start as a number of injuries, possibly due to the hard ground, forced long delays.

Hemel then had a period of pressure and were awarded with a penalty try after it was deemed Tabard had pulled a maul down, even though the Hemel pack was being driven backwards at the time. Hemel's stand off, O'Brien, kicked the conversion and the Tabard lead was reduced to four points until four minutes later Reilly again slotted a penalty over.

In the dying minutes of a half that lasted a total of 52 minutes, Tabard got another try. Once again from a scrum, the ball was passed quickly out and centre Murphy was over for the score and Reilly added the conversion to bring up the final tally of 21 points to seven in Tabard's favour.

Next week Tabard there is no game for the Tabard first XV because they had a bye in the first round of the EDF Energy Cup.

Tabard: Jenkins, Roberts, Arasa. Murphy K, Woodhead, Reilly, Murphy A, Lake (Bill), Lake (Wilf), Gough, Kidd, O'Connor, Hall, Matheson (Settle), Stoba.