Hawks outclassed by students in final friendly

Henley Hawks completed their pre-season matches with a home game against National 2 (North) side Loughborough Students at Dry Leas on Friday evening, writes Nick Pitson.

For an hour, this was an even, highly committed contest with both sides giving no quarter and trying to move the ball at every opportunity. The exchanges were fast and furious but the defensive tackling from both teams was excellent.

However, the visitors were a well drilled side who played with pace and as the game wore on, the Hawks began to look a little disjointed and the Students capitalised on this as the Hawks fell away towards the end.

Henley opened the scoring after just six minutes with a try from Seb Scott finishing some good link play from Tom Vooght.

It was scrum half Ewan Fenley who orchestrated the Hawks play and although the scrum was under pressure at times, the Hawks defence was aggressive and held firm.

However, eventually the Students replied through Alfie Scopes and a conversion from Reece Malone to put them in front.

The Hawks replied immediately when an excellent break by Fenley finished with Leo Webb crossing in the corner for a try which Max Titchener converted from the touchline.

The visitors came straight back and winger George Barber levelled the game just before the break, crossing unopposed after some sustained pressure from the students. Score at half time was 12-12.

The second half started in the same vein with end to end action with young Hawks hooker Charlie Sichel prominent in the loose play.

The Henley forwards dominated and camped in the Students’ 22. Eventually, the Hawks regained the lead when another good break in midfield by Fenley ended with the home side scoring in the corner.

As hard as the Hawks tried, the students then began to take control, looking quicker in everything they did and kicking intelligently for position keeping the Hawks pinned in their own half.

With Loughborough beginning to find holes in the Hawks defence, the Students’ Teddy Leatherbarrow took a crash ball in midfield, broke through and scampered 40m to score. The conversion gave the Students a 19-17 lead.

The Hawks faded in the last quarter and the Students scored two further tries to seal a well-deserved victory.

This was a good run out for the Hawks against a very well organised side.