After a hard fought, low scoring win away at Isleworthians last time out the home side were looking to give their supporters something to cheer and they didn’t disappoint. Both sides came into the match with reputations as strong scrummaging sides and so it proved, the battle up front a fairly evenly contested affair.

Watford however clearly had the edge in the back line and looked to exploit this at every opportunity. In a mature display, the men in the hoops looked to earn the right to go wide and put their flyers into space. Georgio all grunt, effort and beard, carried magnificently in the tight ably supported by his fellow tight five forwards. After a series of carries around the fringes of the breakdown, Watford worked the ball wide to in-form winger Kiren Kebali who was hauled down just short of the line. Centre Reeve was on hand to collect the offload and open the scoring, Wilkinson slotting like the smooth operator he is for 7-0. 7 soon became 14, Paul Dunlop making a magnificent break despite carrying tuberculosis before offloading to Silver who showed great composure to pop inside to Josh for one of the easier finishes he will have this season.

The Watford pressure was relentless, However Cuffley managed to stop the rot with a well taken try of their own before Silver added a fine solo effort. Fielding a kick just inside his own half, the Jim Henson creation glided to the middle of the park bewitching a Cuffley player with a fantastic side step before out pacing the cover to score. What followed was the shock of the afternoon, unboshable Ham being boshed before that man Silver avenged his skipper by throwing himself at the would be try scorers feet.

Despite video evidence, I can’t remember if Josh scored his second try in the first or second half. We’ll assume it was the first.

Half time saw Dunners succumb to whatever pesticide he had consumed, Martin Lee forced to play 8 instead of 7 which would surely have been more suited to his legendary pace and fitness. Hey ho.

The second half saw both sides score three tries, Watford perhaps taking their foot off the gas with the bonus point and win in the bag. Lee scored the first, ignoring a three man overlap and finding contact from 5 metres out. Kebali continued his fine try scoring form after a superbly worked score from first phase ball reminiscent of England’s first against South Africa a few weeks ago. In my head it looked like that anyway. With the last play of the game, Hopkins box kicked behind the tiring Cuffley defence, Kebali won turnover ball and Gary Wilson scored from 0.1 metres out.

A good performance from Watford who will have been pleased to show they are more than just a set piece. Some exceptional handling and support lines from both forwards and backs, however we need to make sure we play for the whole 80.

MotM – Sean Silver. Fine solo effort, willing support runner who always looked to put others into space.

WotW – Clenners. Bit of an iffy line out which confused Roelfy, but mainly down to the worm tongueing abilities of Sanchez