Richmond victory is cut short (From Richmond and Twickenham Times)

Richmond victory is cut short

10:50am Thursday 8th November 2007

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Richmond visited Hertford on another autumnal Saturday, the fixture being the first league encounter between the two clubs.

Hertford lay third in London One so another keen contest was anticipated. Hertford were slightly unfortunate to be relegated from National League Three North last year and are clearly an ambitious and well established club.

The game started without any fireworks as both sides probed defences and attempted to establish some element of control.

Richmond got the first score after five minutes with Matt Hart converting a straightforward penalty for offside. However, the pattern of the day was unfortunately set in the next few minutes.

Richmond drove from a lineout and the rolling maul collapsed. There were clearly conflicting views on what had happened and Tristan Wesley and the Hertford hooker Danny Harris had sufficient an altercation that the referee immediately brandished yellow cards to both.

In a season where cards have been hitherto mercifully restricted, this was to prove crucial. Both sides had their moments for the next twenty minutes.

The Hertford backs displayed some nice miss moves and supported each other well. Richmond looked fit and confident but too many mistakes were made and the game was fitful, with play constantly interrupted by injury or the whistle.

However after half an hour Hart, positioned well as ever, collected the ball and chipped the defence to regather the ball and pass inside.

The Hertford hooker, doing well to cover in defence, was late and high with his tackle and his inevitable second yellow card meant that his participation in the game was over.

Play continued and Alex Maclennan took a crash ball to break the defence, interpass with James Bucknall in support and take the scoring pass himself.

Hart converted and Richmond were 10-3 ahead and Hertford down to fourteen men. Soon after this Tom George, suffering arm and finger injuries, was replaced by Martin Bolton.

However, Richmond's confidence and control were both now improved and the next try was superb. Luke Cousins cross kicked and Frankie van Schalkwyk gathered to set Hart on an inside line before passing outside to Luke Cousins and on to Tim Cook to complete the move, again converted by Hart.

At half time the score was 17-3 after a late Hertford penalty from fly half Dan Howells. Unfortunately early in the second half the contest was then effectively ended as one of the Hertford props limped off, leaving no option to the referee but to instigate uncontested scrums.

There are a whole set of rules which govern this eventuality and they are not consistent in every level of league. However it would appear that the official' score may be locked at 17-3 regardless of any action which occurred in the remainder of the game.

There is little logic which makes any sense of this with regard to this match as Richmond were clearly doubly disadvantaged through no fault of their own. But rules are rules, once somebody has worked them out!

However, whatever the final ramifications, the game continued with some good open play by both sides, even if the absence of tight scrums lent a strange look to proceedings.

More bad luck ensued with James Bucknall colliding heads with Andre de Villiers who took the worst impact and was replaced by Neil Piggot.

With some of the home support noisily keen to see a balance of fortunes, van Schalkwyk and David Burr were yellow carded and by the end, with Tim Cook off with a shoulder injury, 13 Richmond players were competing with 14 from Hertford.

Despite this Richmond played some lovely rugby at times with excellent interpassing and support play. Alex Maclennan, who ran and kicked well throughout the game scored his second try courtesy of a quickly taken penalty by Henry Head.

Then a storming run from Kenny Bingham provided a first try for the prolific van Schalkwyk who took a scoring pass from the outstanding Hart for his second try soon afterwards.

And finally, in slightly surreal circumstances, both sides threw the ball around with admirable ambition before the alert Maclennan intercepted for his third try, impeccably converted by Hart.

Richmond remain unbeaten, whatever the decision on the match score and next week return to the Athletic Ground(kick off 3pm) to do battle with Basingstoke, who had a big win over Portsmouth and are always strong rivals.

Scorers: Tries: Maclennan (3), van Schalkwyk (2), Cook Conversions: Hart (6) Penalty: Hart Team: M Hart (c), F van Schalkwyk, A Maclennan, T Cook, J Ajuwa, l Cousins, K Bingham, T Nuttall, D Burr, O Gregory (E Rosa), T Wesley, H Head, A de Villiers (N Piggot), T George(M Bolton), J Bucknall.

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