Staines 36 Letchworth GC 8 Letchworth played well in patches against a formidable Staines team despite the scoreline – but patchy was nowhere near good enough. The Letchworth pack performed well in the set piece and most broken play but the lineout was di

Staines 36 Letchworth GC 8

Letchworth played well in patches against a formidable Staines team despite the scoreline - but patchy was nowhere near good enough.

The Letchworth pack performed well in the set piece and most broken play but the lineout was disappointing with key set pieces being lost when the visitors were on the attack.

Likewise the midfield channel was once again found wanting with three of Staines' tries coming through a lack of first phase tackling.

No doubt coach Mike Clements will be looking at these areas over the next few weeks.

Overall the team were like a car motor that just refused to start but with the return of Pieter Sterienburg in the back row, and several good performances, including new prop Ryan Long, a win must be on the cards soon.

Letchworth again found themselves several scores down early on and must aim to come out of the blocks quicker.

An early move was snuffed out and within a minute, Staines received a gift penalty which went over via an upright.

Some good driving by the Staines pack put Letchworth on the back foot. The ball was fed out fast for the two Turners of Staines to combine and Andy Turner scored.

Letchworth once again attacked but Staines cleared out to full-back Henry Robinson.

His intelligent grubber kick was fortuitously blocked and the Staines scrum-half, his namesake, James Robinson poured through the middle channel and passed to hefty second row and skipper Tom Cleary to score under the posts. This left Letchworth at 15-0 down after as many minutes.

At this stage Sterienburg was introduced and his first action led to the Letchworth try. He charged down scrum-half Robinson's kick from the base of the scrum.

The ball bounced to Olly Daniels, starting at 10 for the injured Gavin Donald, and he fed Liam Corcoran who in turn passed to winger Mike Stack.

Stack ghosted through three players to score in the corner although he was unfortunately then sidelined with a pulled hamstring. Robinson narrowly missed the conversion and Staines hit back with a penalty.

The Letchworth full-back then responded with a sweet kick from just over 40 yards. Another Staines penalty left the scores at 21-8 at half time.

Despite periods of pressure in the second half, Letchworth failed to add to their tally.

Staines, however, took all their chances. An early penalty and a fine move saw centre John Turner crash through the middle for a seven pointer for 31-8.

Ten minutes of Letchworth pressure went unrewarded and having got into the visitors' 22, Staines took a cheeky quick lineout for Myburgh to score in the corner - it was the story of Letchworth's afternoon.

The young side's most impressive performer was 17-year-old Harvey Howman.

This Saturday sees an intermediate cup fixture away to Sidcup which should also be a challenge for the beleaguered Legends Lane outfit.

Better news came from the second XV who walloped Sawston 55-5 and the thirds who were also victorious by beating Royston second string 42-17.