Despite a heavy snow shower on the morning of the game, Watford’s unsinkable & unfreezable pitch proved its resilience once more and was in good shape for the match. Despite starting as the underdogs on paper, Chess began the stronger of the two sides and spent the first five minutes camped in Watford’s 22. Fortunately, Valley weren’t able to make the possession and territory count on the scoreboard and once Watford got their hands on the ball they began to look the more dangerous of the two sides.

Having struggled to implement their game plan the previous week, the men in red displayed a great deal more patience in going through the phases and not rushing things. Unfortunately a few sloppy handling errors meant that chances often went begging, a missed penalty letting Valley off the hook and allowing them to alleviate the building pressure.

The hosts however were not to be denied. A powerful burst from Paul Dunlop saw him hauled down just short of the line. With the ball being recycled quickly, flanker Luke Hammill was able to burrow over for the opening score. Extras added, 7-0 to Watford.

Luke unfortunately went from hero to zero a matter of minutes later, when he was shown a yellow card by the referee for a dangerous tackle. With the hosts down to 14 men, Valley looked to make the numerical advantage count and get themselves back in the game. With Watford a man light in the scrum, the visitors attacked blind. Winger Richard Yates read the move perfectly, and intercepted a potentially try scoring pass to fly down the wing and touch down. Extras missed, Watford were 12-0 up and in control.

With Hammill returning to the field, Watford looked to push on and secure the try bonus point. Chess had other ideas, and began to use their large pack in an attempt to get themselves back in the game. A number of carries were strongly rebuffed by the home sides defence, but the penalty count was building eventually leading to replacement Andy Lee’s first ever yellow card for not rolling away. Despite being a man down once more, Watford showed good heart and organisation to hold out until the break.

Watford were reminded at half time to keep calm and stick to their game plan, and provided the penalties were cut out then the two tries needed would eventually come. Having rode out the remainder of Andy’s sin binning, the hosts began to control proceedings with flanker James Powell once again particularly effective in the set piece and the loose.

The third try soon came, Paul Dunlop scoring in the corner after good work from Ian Butcher. With the bonus point in sight, Watford took their eye off the ball and allowed Chess to score a try of their own. With twenty minutes remaining, a second Valley try could have made life difficult for the hosts. Fortunately, concentration returned and Watford went back to what serves them best – make the hard yards before giving the ball wide.

Andy Lee added ballast to the back line, returning to centre from the back row and with man of the match Ian Butcher controlling proceedings from scrum half Watford soon had an attacking lineout within the oppositions 22. A rolling maul was somewhat cynically hauled down, and with the advantage being played Andy Lee took a short ball from Simon Bram before being halted inches short. Flanker Adam Hancock was on hand to collect and score his first ever try for the 1st XV, earning Watford the bonus point in the process.

With all five points in the bag the remainder of the match was played out in the middle of the park, final score 24 – 5 to Watford.

Whilst not a vintage Watford performance by any stretch, it was good to gain maximum points against tricky opposition. The result means a Watford win at bottom of the table Ickenham on the 31st guarantees a top six play off spot.

Watford 1st XV: Bees, Philpott, Nelson, Kingsford, G. Wilson, Powell, Hammill, M. Lee, Hopkins, Bram, Mainwaring, Butcher, Dunlop, Yates, McGee.

Subs: Flint, Hancock, A. Lee

Tries: Hammill, Yates, Dunlop, Hancock

Cons: McGee x 2

MotM: Ian Butcher. A victim of his own versatility, had a strong game in the centres before moving to 9 where he exerted his influence on the game. Crisp, quick passing and always made the right decision.

WotW: Andy Lee. First ever yellow card in 20 odd years of playing... ‘nuff said.