Old Grammarians will be disappointed at the scrappy and disjointed manner of their defeat in this Herts/Middx League 1 fixture to Old Haberdashers who, on the day, were more enterprising and better organised.

Two fluffed penalty chances early on by Grammarians were costly, allowing Habs to whether the early pressure and come storming back.

Haberdashers’ forwards effectively disrupted the home side’s set pieces of line-out and scrummage and, deprived of their accustomed good ball, the dangerous and free-scoring Grammarian backs were not the usual potent force.

The half-time scoreline of 5-14 was a fair reflection of the play, although the OG’s try by winger Paul Campbell, catching on the full a beautifully flighted kick by centre Jon Watkins and going over in the corner, was a gem.

Better cohesion in the second-half was denied Old Grammarians, hit by a series of injuries that called for three substitutions and multiple team shuffles and, although restricting the visitors to one more score, the unbeaten home record, including League and Cup this season and extending many months back into last season, had gone.