NATIONAL 2 SOUTH

LEADERS Henley Hawks battled back to win 19-13 at Bishops Stortford and record their 11th straight victory.

Hawks lost wing Lloyd Owen to a hand injury on two minutes and trailed to a penalty from fly half Tom Cromwell.

Henley replied by driving prop Jimmy Litchfield over for a try, but the hosts’ pressure yielded a second Cromwell penalty.

Stortford had a try disallowed, but, with Henley flanker Tom Hall in the sin-bin, soon scored a legitimate one, with centre Marcus Catell going over and Cromwell converting for 13-5.

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After the break, fly half James Comben reduced the arrears with a penalty.

Full back Piers O’Conor was tackled just short of the line after a 75-metre break, but a second try soon came.

A 30-metre driving maul ended with Litchfield going over for his brace.

Hawks’ pressure finally told in injury time when Comben and then scrum half Connor Murphy kicked penalties.

Chinnor’s Canterbury hoodoo continued with a 23-22 defeat at Merton Lane.

The Thame-based club, who have never won at their Kent opponents, led 17-8 at half-time, but could not hold on.

Wing Mason Rosvall caught fly half Tom Best’s cross kick to go over for Canterbury’s opening try.

Chinnor lost hooker Jamie Townsend to a serious ankle injury, but they were ahead when fly half Ed Keohane sent prop Joe Pickett over, with the former converting.

Keohane and Best traded penalties before Chinnor went further ahead.

Wing George Blewitt finished a clever counter attack and Keohane converted.

Canterbury gave themselves hope six minutes into the second half when full back Martyn Beaumont ran in a superb try from 45 metres.

But Keohane went over himself following a charge from lock Toby Salmon.

Canterbury hit back with a second try from Beaumont, converted by Best.

Best’s 67th-minute penalty then won it.

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