The final match of Leverstock Green’s Cricket Week saw a Hemel Hempstead Town XI play Leverstock Green opponents in a memorial fixture to celebrate the life of sporting stalwart and former teacher Roger Doodson.

The exciting match, which wasn’t decided until the final ball, was attended by a large number of Roger’s cricket friends from Hemel Hempstead and across the county as well as members of his family, including son Jack who played in the Hemel side.

Leverstock Green president Brian Coulshed gave an address at the end of the match which highlighted Roger’s contribution to local sport and in particular his positive impact on the development of young people, both as a teacher and as a sports coach.

A collection at the match raised £330. which will be split the Northchurch-based Hospice of St Francis and Tring-based Grove House Hospice Care.

{http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/news/community/roger-s-legacy-will-never-be-forgotten-1-5184142|Click here to read about Roger’s legacy}

Endurance stars from Hemel Hempstead Cycling Club have claimed team honours at the British 12 Hour Championships, smashing a long-standing club record in the process.

The Hemel Hempstead team are now 2013 team champions after extending the club record by a massive 78.98 miles.

John Lacey was sixth overall, Sam Williamson 10th and Ian Baynes 18th, and they were backed up by John Dowling and Paul Thomson.

Sam suffered a puncture but was able to quickly swap with a spare wheel supplied by a club helper who just happened to be passing at the time.

A club spokesman said: “This is the first time in the club’s 80 years that they have achieved this outstanding feat, which took an enormous amount of preparation and dedication to long distance training, coupled with fantastic back up and support on the day.

“Club members turned out in large numbers to hand up food and drink as well as cheer our riders on.

“The resulting 771.30 miles achieved by the team will go down in the record book as a magnificent achievement – nearly 80 miles extra in the club’s 80th year”.

Newly-promoted Hoddesdon Town, back in the Premier League after an eight year absence, took the opening day honours and condemned Tring Athletic to a 3-1 defeat.

The Lilywhites came to Tring with a clear game plan and a lot of confidence after knocking Berkhamsted out of the Herts Charity Shield with a fine 2-0 win at Broadwater.

From the start the visitors set out their stall by playing one forward and getting 10 men behind the ball whenever they lost possession.

Athletic struggled to break through and had to be on their guard against quick counter-attacks, which proved to be their undoing with lively left winger Tyler Hatherly having a hand in all three Hoddesdon goals.

He opened the scoring on 15 minutes with a cross-cum-shot that took a deflection and ended up in the net, but although Athletic shook themselves down and enjoyed the lion’s share of possession they lacked a cutting edge.

A corner fell to Vinnie Iannone whose shot was cleared off the line, and a superb pass from Jack Seaton’s nearly found Jack Sunderland in the area, but otherwise there were few clear cut opportunities.

Iannone and Matt Jarvis had shots blocked before Ryan Sturges fired the loose ball over, and a corner cleared to Jack Sunderland just outside the area gave him time to tee up a solid strike which went wide.

In the final action of the half Iannone had a header well saved, but Athletic could then have gone 2-0 down as Hoddesdon broke sharply only to spurn an inviting chance.

Hatherly did double the lead soon after the restart, picking up a loose ball and cutting inside on his favoured left foot before curling a superb shot past Mike Underwood from outside the box.

Athletic made an immediate change by bringing on Martin Skinner for Ryan Sturges and within 10 minutes had reduced the deficit when Jack Seaton opened his account for the club by steering home Greg Deer’s accurate free kick.

And club captain Graham Hall, who has been out with an injury, made a welcome return when he came on for Chris Vardy.

But any hopes of a comeback for Athletic were dashed in the 74th minute when Hatherly’s header from a far post cross hit the bar and Dave Pigeon converted the the loose ball from close range.

Athletic kept plugging away and in the last few minutes created their best opportunities with Martin Skinner, Graham Hall and Vinnie Iannone going very close but the visitors held on for a fine win.

Athletic, who had nine new players in the squad, are still a work in progress.

They travel to face another newly promoted side, Cockfosters, tomorrow, and on Saturday are on the road again, travelling to Essex side Cogenhoe in the FA Cup extra preliminary round.

Tring Corinthians shrugged off a testing pre-season 2-0 openind day win over to record a comfortable opening day win over Division Two new boys New Bradwell St Peter.

The win could have been more emphatic than the scoreline suggests, but the visitors from Milton Keynes had the early edge and Corries were left chasing the ball as New Bradwell knocked the ball around confidently without really testing Parker in the home goal. Flaherty, Witney, Killick and Gordon were worked hard, yet remained firm.

Slowly Corries started to wake up, as Groves and Haughney got a grip of midfield, and the first piece of genuine class produced the opening goal in the 25th minute, as debutant Charlie Witney released Brumwell down the right, who picked out a perfect cross for Andy Wheeler-King to head home.

Corries then found another gear and imposed their authority on the game. Promising youngster Lee Groves twice presented the evergreen Mick Swaysland with headers, both of which were cleared off the line.

Their lead was doubled soon after the restart as Wheeler-King turned on the style down the left hand side before delivering a pinpoint cross into the box where Gordon finished powerfully from close range.

Manager Simon Lacey said: “Losing four players to higher level clubs this preseason has made things difficult, to get out and record a win was very pleasing. We’ve given ourselves a platform to build on.”

Kings Langley Ladies led at half time against Aylesbury United but went down 4-2 after a second half marred by injuries which gave the advantage to the home side.

After falling behind in the first minute, Kings quickly levelled through Amy Earthrowl and took the lead just after the half hour through Kim Nield’s delicate shot inside the near post.

Nield nearly extended the lead still further but put a shot just wide with the keeper beaten.

The hosts gradually wore a battling and defiant Kings side down and produced three second half goals without reply to take the spoils.

Kings travel to Milton Keynes on Sunday to take on City Belles FC in the third of their pre-season games.

More players are still being recruited for the coming campaign.

Midweek training is held on Tuesday evenings between 7.30pm and 8.30pm at the Pennine Way pitches in Hemel Hempstead.

Anyone interested should contact Chris Walker on 07833 603 472 or email chrisw@kllfc.co.uk

Berkhamsted held one of the title favourites to a goalless first half before things went pear-shaped in the last half hour and opponents Hanwell ran out 3-0 winners after the visitors went behind, had a man sent off, and then conceded two late goals.

Connor Calcutt looked lively in the first half, heading over after a fine Frankie Jowle cross had carved out an inviting chance.

Carl Tasker in the Berkhamsted goal had to look sharp as half-time neared, parrying snap shots as forwards kept breaking through, and was also kept busy in the opening exchanges after the restart.

The breakthrough goal came on the hour when Billy Healey placed a superb shot into the top right hand corner from the edge of the penalty area, but it was end to end stuff with Berkhamsted having their fair share of chances.

The decisive moment came 10 minutes from the end when Jowle ended up wrestling on the floor with a Hanwell defender.

Jowle was red-carded for retaliation while the Hanwell player escaped with a yellow card and fuming boss Mick Vipond was sent to the stands for approaching the assistant referee.

Hanwell’s player of last season Tom Kennedy made no mistake from close range to double the lead and Healey, who scored 24 goals last season, grabbed the third goal after latching on to a high bouncing ball in the last minute.

Berko’s development squad went down 6-1 at home to Uxbridge Reserves in their final pre-season friendly on Saturday. Mitchell Cole scored for the Comrades. It followed a 2-2 draw at Bovingdon on Thursday night when Tyler Smith and Ashley Badwin netted for the young Berko side.

On Saturday it is FA Cup time at Broadwater when Berkhamsted line up against AFC Dunstable in a game that kicks off at 3pm.

A late winner gave Leverstock Green a flying start to their SSML Premier Division campaign, and closed the book on a pre-season programme that didn’t have many highlights.

New boss Danny Manzi and assistant Daren Bloor have galvanised a team that was very unlucky to go out of the Herts Charity Shield at Harpenden last week but kicked off in winning form thanks to a 2-1 home victory over London Lions.

That didn’t look the likeliest result when the newly-promoted visitors took the lead in the third minute, Ben Ellis diverting Adam Bolle’s shot past David Bailey from close range

Connor Deadman and Jon Davies had chances before Mark Shadbolt crossed to find Stewart King, and the two exchanged passes to create the space that allowed King to rifle home the equaliser.

The lively Lions had good chances to sneak back into the lead either side of half time, and had other tempting opportunities to restore their advantage before being made to pay heavily for giving the ball away in their own half with just two minutes left on the clock.

Chad Pinching, who had only been on the field six minutes, threaded a great pass to put King through, and the former Tring Athletic player showed the composure to slot the ball home.

The Green are without a midweek game as planning restrictions mean that the Pancake Lane floodlights cannot be used in August, so the home game against Hoddesdon Town is being rescheduled.

But they will be back in action on Saturday for the FA Cup extra preliminary round, when they travel to Hillingdon Borough.

The season ended on a low note for Dacorum & Tring AC’s Southern Athletic League outfits, who failed to win promotion after finishing third in their final fixture.

Thames Valley Harriers took first place on 204, with Basildon second on 191 and Dacorum & Tring left trailing the front runners on 175, even though they were comfortably superior to Hillingdon (134).

Top scorer for the ladies team was once again Natasha Brunning, whose notched a total of 15 points after taking first place in the A-string pole vault and the long jump and high jump B-string events, as well as taking the runner-up spot in the A-string triple jump.

Also recording first place successes were Megan Smith (400m hurdles B, high jump A); Robyn Khan (200m B); Sophie Lee (400m hurdles A); Caitlin Filby (discus B) and Anna Jones (javelin B).

Second places went to Megan Smith (200m A); Sophie Morris (400m B); Lucy Jones (100m hurdles and triple jump B); Anna Jones (100m B); and Fiona McQuire (discus A).

Third places were claimed by Caitlin Filby (shot B, hammer A); Robyn Khan (100m B); Lucy Jones (400m A); Lizzie Roberts (3,000m A); Phoebe Smith (800m A); Sophie Lee (long jump A); Fiona McQuire (javelin A); Cathie Woolfrey (hammer B) and the relay squads in the 4x100m and 4x400m events.

In the men’s team first places went to Matt Salt in his debut 2,000m steeplechase in the A string event, and Andy Del Nevo who took the tape in the B string event.

Both runners also placed in the 5,000m at the same meet.

David Gordon (pole vault B), Trevor Ratcliffe (javelin A) and Shaun Wall (javelin B) were also first place field event athletes for D&T.

Second places went to Eliot Copperwhite (200m A); Jasper Durrant (triple jump A, long jump B); Chris Line (discus A); Trevor Ratcliffe (hammer A); Jon Rendell (200m B); John Garner (110m hurdles B); Shaun Wall (shot B); Matt Salt (5,000m B); James Weller (pole vault A); Josh Evans (triple jump B) and Michael Wadlow (discus B).

Third places were recorded by Jack Rossini (400m hurdles A, 400m B); John Garner (shot A, 1,500m B); Mark Whyte (100m B); Eliot Copperwhite (100m A); John Rendell (400m A); Andy Jackson (hammer B); Andy Del Novo (5,000m B); Michael Wadlow (400m hurdles B); Josh Evans (long jump A) and the 4x400m relay squad.

Another busy week of bowls action is recorded in this round-up of reports from local clubs

Berkhamsted

Pioneers display amazing accuracy

Berkhamsted played host to the Chesham Pioneers, a club for partially-sighted players, in a friendly triples match.

With sighted helpers relaying information back to the partially- sighted bowlers about where each of the bowls had finished, using clock face references through two-way radios, all was going well until the heavens opened.

For the sake of the players’ safety the decision had to be taken to abandon the match half way through.

The score at that time stood at 35–7 in Berkhamsted’s favour but that didn’t reflect the standard of the bowls being played.

It was incredible to watch how the partially-sighted players maintained their line and length far better than the sighted players of the home side.

Berkhamsted Ladies had a fine win over local rivals Potten End in the Watford & District Jubilee Cup.

This match is played over two rinks of triples with an aggregate score counting – Berkhamsted won on both rinks winning by more than 20 shots.

They now progress to the semi-finals on a neutral green.

Representing Berkhamsted were Carole Dunn, Anne Cutting, Mary Clarke, Marion Maynard, Anne Furlong and Jackie Cormack.

Not to be outdone, the men also recorded a win over local rivals Kitcheners BC in the County League.

The match was dedicated to ‘Sport’ Pocock, one of Berkhamsted’s best-loved sports stalwarts, who died last week

Sport was a member of the Kitchener’s Club and also a former player of nearly all sports available in Berkhamsted.

It was a close-run match, with both sides winning one of the rinks contested. The final score saw the two sides separated by just seven shots at 37-30.

The eight shot difference that David Sear, Steve Burrell, David Brown and Kevin Clarke managed to post proved decisive in Berkhamsted’s favour.

Tring

Ken into semi-finals

Ken Woodward has progressed to the semi-finals of the Watford & District Competition after beating fellow Tring bowler Pete Routley 21-16.

He will now meet Dave Hendry from Bushey at the Owls Bowls Club on Monday.

The ladies had a convincing win over Kitcheners, recording a 34-10 margin in their W&D fixture, while in the Dacorum Shield Kings Langley won convincingly 35-76.

In a friendly fixture, also against Kings Langley, Tring ran out convincing 52-31 winners.

A friendly against Hazels was a close encounter with Tring going down 72-81, top rink honours going to John Allen, John Evans, and Pete Stafford.

Potten End

Final slot assured

Potten End’s ladies played Chesham in a rearranged game and were trailing 30-32 after 10 ends when the rain came down too hard and they had to cancel the match.

The ladies also took on Hemel Hempstead in a league match and recorded a comfortable 25–11 win, and notched up an even wider margin in a corresponding friendly fixture which saw them win 28–9.

When the men took on Harpenden they ended up on the wrong end of a 72-97 defeat, but highest winning rink honours went to Andy Dukes, Mike Goodson and Peter Burke.

On Saturday the men played Kings Langley in the Griffin Cup semi-final and beat them by 10 shots, taking them through to the final to play Croxley Guild!

Sunday saw the men, plus two rinks of ladies, hosting Owls and winning 101-86 with top rink going to Jack Bunting, Keith Martindale and Brian Howlett.

Hemel Hempstead

Ladies in spotlight

The ladies enjoyed a successful week, and recorded a significant result in the St Albans & District Pairs competition.

The team of Mary Pells and Sheila Kinzelmann bowled their way to a commanding 31-17 win over the ladies from Clarence Park, taking them through to the quarter finals.

In the County League, the team of Norma Brown, Mary Kinzelmann, Val Nash and Brenda Bennitt narrowly won their meeting with Herts BC, finishing 19-17 winners.

And a ladies team captained by Della Smith chalked up another win in a two rink away shootout with Townsend, finishing with a comfortable margin of 49-29.

Their St.Albans & District Ladies Bowling Association home venue meeting resulted in a very close result in which the Hemel team of K. Emmins, J. Smith, N. Brown and P. Gillings lost by 102-107.

A mixed team were hosted by Chesham Broadway to an enjoyable three rink triples friendly and won 53-33.

But in their contest away at Wing Village BC the team lost the encounter 55-68.

One consolation for the rink of Della Smith, Ron Bull and Brian Smith was their 19-13 win.

The midweek men’s match at home against the Owls resulted in a 81-72 win for Hemel with Roy Barlow, Mike Beavington, George Smith and Allen Bennitt taking top rink honours. In the County League clash away to Garston, the Hemel men lost heavily and finished on the wrong end of a 57-21 scoreline.

Hemel Hempstead hosted the Watford & District Men’s Bowling Association Griffin Cup semi finals on Saturday.

Teams from Mill End, Croxley Green, Potten End and Kings Langley Bowls Clubs lined up to0 do battle.

Colourful and enthusiastic supporters cheered the teams from Potten End and Croxley Green to victory and the eventual final showdown.

Kitcheners

Up and down week

Kitcheners’ ladies travelled to Tring in the Watford & District League but ended up on the losing side. Kitcheners men went to Berkhamsted in the County League and lost 30-37.

On Saturday they entertained Redbourn in a four mixed triples match and won 100-50. John Land, Chris Ivin and Roy Phipps were highest triples. On Sunday the men returned from Luton with a 64-52 win under the belts. The highest rink was Megan Grafham, Richard Tipton, Colin Jones and Tony Scattergood.

Dacorum & Tring AC Road Runners had five representatives in the field for Sunday’s Bearbrook 10km and all posted good times.

Jamie Marlow led them home in 18th place with a time of 37min 22sec, followed by Steve Russell (156 place) in 46.22.

Allan MacCormack, in his first run for the club, posted 4647, Lee Bryant was next home in a personal best of 5106 and Anya Higgins, also making her debut, crossed the line in 59.31.

Simon Bright tackled the Perth Kilt Race in traditional Scottish dress, finishing in 63rd place and sixth in his age group

Gade Valley Harriers fielded 11 runners, many recovering from injury, for the Bearbrook 10k on Sunday, which attracted a field of nearly 450 competitors ready to make their way around a course that took in Weston Turville, Wendover and Halton.

Steve Boyd took the honours for the GVH contingent, finishing only seven minutes behind the event winner.

John Broom (41mins 32secs), Steve Newing (42.24), Andy Bishop (43.39), Dave Wise (45.18), Andy Norton (45.30), Martin Storrie (46.20), Susie Ivin (51.05), Tanya Sauders (58.37), Jan Hudson (60.15) and Clare Terry (60.16m) completed the GVH party.

A motorbike fanatic who has always dreamed of buying her own set of black and pink leathers to get on the track has seen her wish come true.

Joanne Miller, 25, of Grovehill, Hemel Hempstead, entered her ultimate biking dream online with motorcycle insurance company Bennetts, and to her surprise, was chosen. She received vouchers worth £1,800 to get her custom-made kit, and was also given £500 towards the The Bike Experience charity, which she volunteers for to help injured riders back on track.

Joanne said: “I want to show these boys how it’s done, that females can do it, too. I couldn’t believe it, but to say they would be giving £500 to the charity as well, I was absolutely over the moon.”

{https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Bike-Experience/101810996578296|Click here} to find out more about the work done by Joanne and the Bike Experience.

To submit your own biking dream with Bennetts, {http://www.bennettsbikingdreams.co.uk/|click here.}

Hemel Hempstead Town Football Club have announced that Underwoods Solicitors will be the club’s main shirt sponsor for the next two seasons.

Underwoods’ logo will feature on the first team’s home and away shirt as well as perimeter board advertising around Vauxhall Road.

Underwoods Solicitors join the club at a very exciting time as the Tudors push for promotion to the Conference South.

A Tudors spokesman said: “We welcome this local partnership which we see as vital to the club’s future success and look forward to a fruitful and enjoyable relationship.”

Club chairman Dave Boggins added: “We are of course delighted to welcome Underwoods Solicitors as sponsors of Hemel Hempstead Town FC and look forward to a long and mutually rewarding relationship.

“As a community club, I feel it is important we have local representation both on and off the field of play, and I am very happy that Underwoods have chosen our club as their partners.”

Kerry Underwood, chairman of Underwoods Solicitors said: “We are delighted to be the sponsors of our local football team.

“David Boggins has put his heart and soul, as well as his money, into this club and I want to see Hemel Hempstead Town FC in the Football League, which is what this great town deserves.”

Hillingdon Borough 4
 Leverstock Green 2

Leverstock Green once again went out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle as they were beaten by Hillingdon Borough in their extra preliminary round tie.

After their strong start to their league campaign last week, Green made a bright start on Saturday, although Hillingdon keeper Luke Dennison was relatively untroubled.

Green’s first shot on target came in the 21st minute, but Jon Davies’ effort was saved, and the home side struck against the run of play through captain Robert Laney in the 27th minute.

Clearly rocked by the goal, Levy spent the rest of the half on the back foot and Laney scored an almost identical goal to double his team’s lead three minutes before the break.

By the 65th minute, Hillingdon had added a third and fourth goal – through Jimmy Froud and Richard Gradwell – and it looked as though a rout could be on the cards.

To their credit, though, Green rallied and the introduction of Connor Deadman, Jamie Davidge and Junior Bushiri gave them more of a threat going forward.

Goals from Ben Edwards and Stewart King gave Green hope of launching a comeback but Borough held on for the win.

Kings Langley 3
 Long Buckby 1

Kings advanced to the next round of the FA Cup with a performance that stunned United Counties Premier League opponents Long Buckby.

From the second minute, when Jack Johnson’s run ended with a clash between a defender and Tom Carter that forced the ball over the line, Kings were in the ascendency.

Ten minutes later a Gary Connolly diagonal cross eluded the defence but saw Sam Warrell get a touch that beat the keeper for Carter to provide Johnson with a tap in.

Bucks hit back immediately through Tobi Ibukun, but this only prompted a series of Langley attacks.

And Kings put the tie beyond doubt when a Danny Hutchins cross was tapped in by Johnson.

The 47th season of the Berkhamsted Sunday League kicks on Sunday with the traditional Brian Williamson Memorial Cup match.

Traditionally, the league champions play the Steve Norwood Challenge Cup winners but, as AFC Boars claimed both trophies, Premier Division runners up Hemel United have been invited to play.

The Brian Williamson Cup was introduced in memory of a young player who died during the inaugural league season of 1967/68.

The match kicks off at 10.30am at Hemel Hempstead Town FC’s Vauxhall Road ground.

The regular league fixtures start on the following Sunday, September 1.

The BSFL once again has five divisions but each division has fewer teams than last season as a number of teams did not re-register for the 2013/14 campaign.

A day of jumps, stunts and live music has raked in vital cash for Hemel Hempstead’s skating community.

The town’s Skate Park Group held an ‘Eight Year Jam’ on Saturday to celebrate the Gadebridge Park skating mecca’s birthday, and raised funds towards an extension on the free extreme sports resource.

The event featured music and DJ sets, live art including a demonstration by local Jake Smith and a barbecue.

The group hopes to introduce urban style features such as steps, rails and benches. It is also looking for new members to help make the park bigger, and Youth Connexions are offering a free recording session to young people who help raise money for the cause.

To get involved, email heather.holden@dacorum.gov.uk or search Hemel Skate Park Group on Facebook.

Nine-man Tring Corinthians secured a point, and should have made it three, in difficult conditions at Wolverton.

Corries, missing six players and stretched to breaking point, showed character and determination to battle hard for a 1-1 draw.

The game started at a brisk tempo and it was the home side that created the bulk of the half chances, as their aerial strength told.

The visitors gifted a number of set pieces to the hosts; however the wind and poor heading meant Parker in the Corries goal was not troubled.

When Corries did get the ball on the floor, they looked useful and with the maturing Lee Groves and Louis Fernandez prompting in midfield, aided by Wheeler-King and Brumwell, it looked like at some point Gomm or Swaysland would be benefit from the creativity.

However, the match took a controversial turn, as Flaherty was booked for clearing a poorly taken corner and Wheeler-King was booked for dissent for the most innocuous of comments.

And things got worse for Corries, when on the stroke of half time the visitors took the lead from another needless set piece.

Yet Corries came out in the second half by far the better side, finally passing the ball and exposing the hosts backline, without really threatening - although Gomm did fire in two long range efforts.

Corries were then reduced to ten, as Flaherty was pushed from behind, only to see a second yellow waved in his direction.

The visitors dug deep and equalised, as Gomm played in a perfect cross for Wheeler-King to record his second goal of the season and rightfully restore parity.

And with Ferdinand marshalling the back line in some style, Corries were looking the more likely, as Miles prompted from the back.

Wheeler-King’s afternoon took a turn for the worse, as he won a perfectly timed challenge just inside his own half and once more the referee waved a yellow to see Corries reduced to nine men.

Fernandez limped out of the action and was replaced by the half fit Stephenson, yet the expected winner from the hosts didn’t come, as Corries played on the break. And it was one of these breaks that saw Brumwell head wide, when he should have scored.

Manager Simon Lacey said: “We showed remarkable character and determination today, I’m exceptionally proud of the player’s performance, to fight back against overwhelming odds is simply incredible.

“It’s a difficult place to come with 11 men, let alone ten and when you have a player booked simply for clearing a corner, you fear it won’t be your day, however the fact I’m disappointed with just a point says a lot about our performance.”

Berkhamsted saw off AFC Dunstable in a pulsating FA Cup extra preliminary round tie that included three penalties.

Dunstable took the lead from the spot early on, but Berko hit back before half-time through Jordon Frederick.

Josh Chamberlain put Berko in front with a successful spot-back, before Dunstable squandered the chance to equalise with the third penalty of the game late on.

Comrades boss Mick Vipond was delighted with the win, but says he felt the penalty decisions were harsh on both sides.

“I didn’t think any of the penalties should have been given and I think the officials ruined the game to be honest,” he said.

“We rode out luck a little bit but it’s really good to get through to the next round and get some money for the club.”

It was a gripping encounter at Broadwater, but Berko got off to a bad start when centre-back Ed Canham was penalised and Craig Butler stepped up to net from the spot.

Both teams looked threatening in attack, but it was Berko who struck next to level things up when Frederick equalised just before the interval with a deflected shot.

Berko went in front 15 minutes from time when Josh Chamberlain netted from the spot after being fouled in the box, but there was still time for further drama.

Jamie Gavin was penalised in the area, but Carl Tasker proved to be the hero for Berko as he kept out Dale Turvey’s kick.

Hemel Stags 18
 London Skolars 40

For the second time in as many weeks the Stags were on the wrong end of a high scoring game – but this time they gave the home fans something to cheer about with a valiant second half display.

Skolars opened their account after only four minutes, but Hemel hit back shortly afterwards as big prop James Howitt to forced his way over the chalk. BJ Swindells converted to bring the scores level.

London regained the lead after 13 minutes, and they added another try 10 minutes later to open up a 18-6 gap.

Alex Ingerfield thought he had scored for the Stags but his effort was chalked off for a double movement and Skolars increased their lead on the half-hour mark with another try .

London were firmly in control and added another two tries to make it 36-6 and things were looking bleak for Hemel at half-time.

Skolars started the second half as they had ended the first by pressing the Hemel line, and they ran in yet another try.

The Stags fought back bravely, though, and showed what they are capable of – finally breaching the visiting defence after 73 minutes when giant substitute prop Eddie Mbaraga dragged his tacklers with to reach the line. Swindells comfortably converted.

The game was restarted with a penalty to Hemel and off the back of some good infield play it was Mbaraga again who crashed over for his second try. Swindells converted as the hooter sounded to end the game.