Amersham & Chiltern 19, Letchworth Garden City 33

AS September moves into Autumn what a difference a year makes.

Last year after two promotions, Letchworth were bottom basement in the new London & SE Division Regional 1 South East league.

Now, having acclimatised to the increase in pace power and skills, they proudly sit top one point ahead of Oundle, having dispatched four worthy teams the best of whom they faced in the Chiltern Hills on Saturday .

But it was far from one way traffic for the Legends Lane heroes against Amersham & Chiltern.

A rattled referee is inclined to do strange things. Letchworth had uncharacteristically given away more than their share of penalties and started complaining. The frustrations culminated in a yellow card for Sharp and a penalty try given for an offence fully 22ms from the Letchworth line to a lumbering forward who would certainly have been caught.

The issue was not lost on El Prez Brian Burke who was clearly wondering 'What's Going On' (M Gaye. Motown Records. May 21st. 1971). 

Despite the referee putting A&C within one score 19-26 with 20 minutes to go. Letchworth knuckled down to produce a third Parkhouse try to finish the match well on top.

Throughout, Amersham & Chilternwere lively, played contiguous rugby and were worth the sobriquet, 'Best team we have played so far'. 

On paper it looked a forgone conclusion but rugby is played in mind and body and on grass and plastic, not by statisticians. 

A&C had seen a resurgence against Southend Saxons and Tring, picking up 2 tries and a losing bonus.Their reward to be 11/12 above hapless North Walsham who lost their fourth encounter 24 v 22 at Harpenden. They will adjust to the pace of this league as did Letchworth last season, their aim being to avoid relegation.

It had started so well, Letchworth driving over in the first three minutes, Josh Walker crossing for the first time this season.

Determined to stay in touch, A&C pressed for the next 20 minutes after breaking out accompanied by the irritating chants of a lone child and the booming off field voice of their coach. Irregular and unedifying. 

It took a while but eventually their wing, Noah Jarvis on the edge beat the cover to score under the posts and make it 7-7.

Letchworth played their retention and running game, stretching A&C to and fro, only poor handling and fine defence keeping them out. A set move off a scrum and the elusive running of Parkhouse broke the stalemate and quietened both child and coach. 7 v 14

It seemed each time Letchworth entered the A&C 22 they scored, after some left and right Legends won a scrum and Tom Lewis rose, ran and had little opposition as he touched down. Sharp converting to make it 21-7.

Legends started to put together their driving running game, only slipshod handling preventing several more scores.  A clever chip didn't quite go to hand and A&C recovered, had Henry Robinson taken the ball he would surely have gone the distance. 

Both sides had a share of possession but mostly in the Legend's half, several breaks each way came to nought, handling the main culprit.   

A&C could not break the Letchworth defence but a series of penalties kept them in the 22m, their frustration complete upon losing their own penalty line out on the 5m.  From the clearance they gathered and drove once more, but were penalised at a maul.  

Eventually Letchworth took possession. An up and under followed by Robinson saw him put in a thumping tackle, at the following move his break through the centre only thwarted by a tap tackle.

Following more attacking rugby A&C made a loose clearance which found Allen, who found Sharp. His long pass had Robinson breaking through three tackles. Several rucks on and the defence was scattered, Parkhouse cutting inside for his second and to extend the lead to 26-7.

Then during an A&C attack, Sharp tapped down a pass in a cluster of players on the Letchworth 22m, the referee stunned the crowd by running under the posts for a penalty try and a yellow for Sharp.  

Against 14, A&C worked to take advantage, a series of handling moves produced a penalty line out and the drive maul resulted in a try to make it 26-19.

Letchworth redoubled their efforts, a series of driving rucks were eventually stopped and a penalty conceded from which Letchworth were marched back 10m. 

A&C sensed a come back and played to the edges where they had previous;y found success. 

From a flowing passage of play Streets cut down their centre, produced ball and the Letchworth pack rucked, mauled and powered their way up field. Eleven phases later Streets broke through the midfield, Howman fed Sharp, Mongston dummied inside and took the tackle, found Parkhouse who scampered in for his third and the lead was extended to 33-19.

In an even contest A&C did not relent to the last and handled up the field until a tackle produced a penalty which Sharp tapped and found touch to end the game.

New recruit Henry Robinson, who began his career at Letchworth before embarking on a stellar career including skippering Rosslyn Park, was impressed with the team's performance but added there were many areas to improve and he was relishing his return and regaining full fitness after a season off.

There will certainly be more to come in October including a "we owe them one "game against Sudbury on 12 October at Legends Lane .

Last season the Sudbury coach insisted the game be played at Shelford after both Presidents had agreed the postponement and Baz Basra had released his players There will be a league lunch (1pm) and all diners should book in with Les on 07827373937 as it is filling rapidly.

And back at Legends Lane, Letchworth's 3rd XV opened their season with an epic 44-32 win against Hitchen seconds.

The lane is the place to be for scintillating rugby football....