Herts/Middlesex One Verulamians 28 Old Haberdashers 23 A DRAMATIC try in the last play of the game from stand in captain, Robin Wildey, clinched an unlikely league victory at home to Harberdashers. With time up on the clock Vees secured lineout possessio

Herts/Middlesex One

Verulamians 28 Old Haberdashers 23

A DRAMATIC try in the last play of the game from stand in captain, Robin Wildey, clinched an unlikely league victory at home to Harberdashers.

With time up on the clock Vees secured lineout possession at the half way line and powered forward with a series of surging runs close to the breakdown resulting in Haberdashers killing the ball and conceding the penalty.

Vees opted to run and kept it tight again resulting in Wildey crashing over under the posts.

Haberdashers dominated the first half with a controlled kicking game and some incisive running from their backs.

Haberdashers took the lead with a penalty before extending it with three tries in quick succession out wide as Vees struggled to contain the visitors.

With time running out in the first half and their backs against the wall, a few substitutions were made with Pugh on at eight, moving Moralee out to the wing and club stalwart Paul McGoohan on in the front row for the injured Tromans.

Strong running from the Vees' back row brought play just short of the line giving the opportunity for Wildey to barge over the line for his first try. Viner stepped up to add the extras and take Vees into the break only 20-7 down.

Vees got a chance early in the second half to get some points on the board, but missed a penalty attempt, only for Haberdashers to go straight down the field and get a penalty of their own.

However, Vees kept the pressure on using the strong ball carriers of Coyle, Pugh, Molyneux, Mashavira and Graham to punch holes close to the break down. Eventually the score came, from a scrum just inside the Haberdashers 22.

Ex-Verulam School captain Chris Pugh picked up from number eight and drove straight through three would be tacklers to score.

Sensing a shift in momentum, Vees kept with the same tactics and it didn't take long for veteran nine Trevor Munien to show he's still devastating from 10 yards with a show of the ball through the gap and under the posts to leave Vees two points behind with five minutes left.

Vees got up to the Haberdashers try line again but sensing the unlikely victory looked to spread the ball wide, only to be tackled, turned over and find themselves defending their own try line.

Stout Vees defence ended up turning over the ball and earning a penalty.

Viner kicked for touch earning good field position. Tyler was on target yet again in the lineout to find Wildey for a catch and drive up field.

Haberdashers inevitably killed the ball 10 yards out. With time up on the clock Vees ran again, Pugh taking the crash ball, followed by Coyle and then Morgan. With the backs screaming out wide for a four man overlap, Munien called for the forward drive again. Captain Wildey was on hand to power over under the posts. Viner added the extras to cap off one of the greatest comebacks in Cotlandswick history.

Verulamians: Westhead, Lynch,Woolley, Molyneux, Waters (Rampling), Viner, Munien; Graham, Tyler, Tromans (McGoohan), Wildey, Mashavira, Morgan, Moralee (Pugh), Coyle.