A combination of great gainline defence by the visitors and over exuberance in attack from the home team consigned Combe to their first home defeat of the season. The losing bonus point was scant consolation.

Westcombe Park led narrowly at half-time 10-7. The first score came through captain Nick Cook after 5 minutes following a number of Hertford infringements in the danger zone. From one tap the ball was trucked up close to the line and Cook plunged over to score. The second arrived 20 minutes later when the ball was spun out to centre James Burton who hurtled forward and then kicked through for Bradley Bateup to show his pace to score out wide. Both conversions missed.

In the meantime it had taken Hertford 20 minutes to make their first unsuccessful incursion into the Combe 22 but they made up for that 5 minutes later, scoring under the posts after a grubber through the onrushing home defence for the converted try.

The second half contained a lot of huff and puff from the Goddington Dene side but the usual fluency, accuracy and execution were not there caused in no small part by a well organised and resolute Hertford defence both along the gain line and close to goal.

Indeed it was the visitors who grabbed the lead early in the half when a clearance kick was charged down allowing a second try under the posts. The conversion made it 10-12 to Hertford. It took only a couple of minutes for Combe to regain the lead. After a good break by flanker Harry Hudson, full back Toby Wallace got his hands on the ball and scored a fine solo try in the corner. That 15-12 lead increased to 18-12 on 60 minutes when Jacob Buckley kicked a penalty after Hertford were penalised.

A converted try 8 minutes later finished the scoring at 18-21 and gave Hertford an important win in their own campaign. Combe battered the opposition line in the last 10 minutes or so but the visitors’ defence held firm to seal the victory.

Combe’s drive for promotion gets back on the road next Saturday with a trip to West London to face CS Stags.