The New Year finally kicked into gear for both Letchworth and Hitchin rugby clubs as they picked up their first wins of 2024.

Letchworth were 45-29 winners at home to Oundle in Regional One South East, keeping their fine season going.

The improved form and rebuild, which has now seen eight wins from the last 10 games, began after a 30-15 loss in Leicestershire in September.

A deep early kick from Oundle was well fielded by Charlie Parkhouse who scythed through the defence before being brought down.

Letchworth kept up the pressure and were rewarded with a kickable penalty that they put to the corner instead.

The catch and drive brought seven points, Max Heathman getting the try and Josh Sharp the conversion.

Oundle replied with a break through the middle that levelled the scores but the remainder of the first half belonged to the home side.

Harvey Howman exploited the blind side for a second Letchworth try and Oscar Robinson got a third, both converted by Sharp.

Oundle did add a penalty but Letchworth turned round 21-10 in front and they kept the pressure on after the restart.

A long early kick by Parkhouse put Oundle on the back foot and Rick Streets crashed through for the bonus point try.

Another catch and drive saw Heathman get his second but this time Sharp was off target with the conversion attempt, one of two misses on the afternoon.

Oundle did get a second try but minutes later a fumble in midfield allowed Kaz Henderson to swoop for an opportunistic score.

Letchworth’s final try was a peach as again Oundle were frustrated on the Letchworth line.

A long pass then sent Parkhouse storming into the Oundle half and after he drew the full-back and put Will Titherington under the posts to make it 45-17.

There was still time for Oundle to get two more tries and a bonus point of their own, annoying Letchworth's defensive coach, but that was the only downside on a good day for the Legends Lane club.

Letchworth are now third, one point behind Sudbury but having played one game more.

They have a week off before going to Tring on Saturday, January 27.

Hitchin meanwhile recorded a 24-10 win over bottom of the table Enfield Ignatians in Counties One Herts Middlesex.

It was their first success in three and keeps them seventh in the standings.

 

Penalties determined the early flow of play, with Hitchin marching their way up field, before being undone by their own indiscipline.

Ignatians won a scrum penalty and decided to tap and go, setting up camp on the Hitchin line.

After a number of surges, Seyi Adeosun breached the whitewash for the opening try after 10 minutes.

 

Enfield received a yellow card after 20 minutes, and conceded a penalty five metres out.

It looked as if Simon Taylor had scored, but a knock on was called. 

Still playing against 14 men, James Bolter took a quick tap penalty and carried fully 30 metres and passing to Ryan Godfrey, who was tackled just before the line.

He was able to offload to Adam Baird to finish the score.

Enfield took the lead again after 35 minutes, an excellent pick off the floor and carry from Tom MacDougall setting up Euan Renny for the try.

And Enfield nearly scored with the final play of the half but they knocked on under pressure.

The early exchanges of the second half were demonstrative of a match in the balance, neither team able to sustain pressure.

Another yellow card was issued to Enfield after 55 minutes, and the resultant penalty was kicked to touch.

The rolling maul provided the platform for the equalising try, Godfrey delivering a pinpoint pass to Bolter, who powered through two would-be-tacklers to score.

Hitchin then took the lead a little after 60 minutes.

Ewan Rawlings delivered quick ball from the base of the ruck, and Dan Wiggins sent a miss-pass out to winger Greg Ranson.

Close to the touchline, Ranson broke two attempted tackles to score Hitchin's third try, and converted his own kick to extend the lead to seven points.

Bolter broke into the Enfield 22, but his pass was dropped. Hitchin won a penalty on the following scrum and elected to scrum again, but conceded a free kick due to an early drive.

In the final throes of the game Enfield were pinned back as the Hedgehogs' sought their bonus point try.

Taylor collected the ball from a counter ruck and, under pressure close to the touchline, offloaded cleverly to Berty Debeuf who beat the cover tackles to touch down with the final play.

Ranson converted expertly from the touchline.

 

They host near neighbours Welwyn on Saturday, looking to bounce back from their first home loss of the campaign against Finchley.

The seconds were at home to Southgate in a friendly and they picked up a win.

The visitors travelled with 13 men, and a rotating roster of Hitchin players donned the Southgate jersey to ensure the match was played with even numbers.

Hitchin took a 17-0 half-time lead, but lost focus and Southgate levelled the scores by 55 minutes.

Three more Hitchin tries gave them their second win of the season, ahead of a home Merit Table derby match with Weston.

Datchworth lost 25-19 at home to Chiswick and sit one place above Enfield but three points behind Hampstead.