A good day.

Bright, sunny and warm and the knowledge that this was going to be the culmination of a lot of effort throughout the season.

This tit-for-tat game started well, despite the 1871 warm-up dropping off the intensity that it had started with and four minutes in, the Captain Luke Beasley (1), opened the score and Vice-Captain, Harrison Slater (10) converted the extras.  Hampstead came to play and throughout the game, particularly in the first half, they kept on coming and used some of their big ball carriers to good enough effect.  Nine minutes after 1871 scored, Hampstead got their first points, but they were unable to convert.  Six minutes after this, Hampstead fluffed their lineout and 1871 took a quick tap and went wide, then rewound the ball and stretched the D in the process, giving Adrian Coa (15) an opportunity which he took and put 1871 further clear on the scoreboard.  However, Hampstead stayed in the fight and came back four minutes later and converted to level the score.  The next two scores were to 1871, with a patient, pressured display rounded off by Keatan Gill (5) crashing over from close range and by the third interception of the season by Theo Szweda (6) from about the 1871, 10 metre line, both converted by Harrison Slater.  Not to be outdone, Hampstead closed out the half with a converted score of their own for the half to finish in 1871’s favour at 26 - 19.

The second half started as strong as the first, with 1871 scoring this time after 2 minutes through Niall Reilly (12) being on end of some lovely interplay created through a great line break from Louis Aitcheson-Walker (14).  This again converted by the boot of Harrison Slater.  The try of the day came from some very good sucking in the defence play, on one side of the pitch, creating the space out wide for Harrison Slater to put in the perfect cross field kick to Kayci Bernard (13), who at full pelt, did not break stride and caught the ball cleanly and out-paced the defender to score.  This was also converted by Harrison Slater.  As I said previously, Hampstead came to play and they did not give up, earning what would have under normal circumstances, been the four try bonus point.  This came from a moment of madness, with Harrison Slater tackling a player off the ball for what was a clear try scoring opportunity, which also earned him a Yellow Card.

1871 were determined for the last part of the game, with a very, very good defensive effort, as Hampstead tried very hard to throw a lot at 1871.  Despite this effort, Hampstead conceded a penalty, which Harrison Slater duly converted and closed the game out at 43 - 26 to 1871.

The MMT final, which is a mouth-watering prospect, is in two weeks time, on 26^th…