Gloucestershire 5

Hertfordshire 23

Poor discipline dearly cost Gloucestershire as they went down to a well-organised Hertfordshire in appalling conditions at Clifton.

Seventeen points were conceded when a man short in a frustrating second half in which Hertfordshire outside half Dan Watt gave a masterly display of controlled rugby.

Gloucestershire began well with an impressive scrum and were all over Hertfordshire but played into the visitors’ hands by over-complicating moves in torrential rain and a stiff wind. Errors riddled their game and whenever the ball was lost the accurate boot of Watt pegged them back.

Old Centralians prop Scott Fritchley left the field with an injury and Gloucestershire’s scrum dominance was lost as the second quarter began. Then as halftime approached with neither side looking likely to score the deadlock was broken when Watt kicked a penalty from half way for a 3-0 Hertfordshire lead.

Thornbury’s Jak Evans gathered a clearing kick on halfway close to halfway and scythed through the visitors’ defence but as play was taken on the inevitable handling error out wide prevented what looked like a certain try. Hertfordshire maintained their 3-0 lead at the break.

With the elements behind them Gloucestershire would have expected to take control of the second half but Hertfordshire had other ideas. They began to control set-piece play and forced an error after eight minutes. Cinderford replacement George Mills was yellow-carded and Watt doubled the Hertfordshire score with a penalty.

With Gloucestershire unable to get their hands on the ball and playing on the back foot the defence fatally cracked and a missed tackle ended with replacement hooker Declan Caulfield scoring a try. Watt converted and at 13-0 Hertfordshire looked good for a win.

Caulfield was yellow carded as Mills came back on, and with Peter Buxton now in the Gloucestershire second row the home side drove Tyler Jerrum over for a try from a lineout on the Hertfordshire line. The conversion missed, but hopes of a revival were dashed four minutes later when Watt kicked his third penalty for a 16-5 lead.

Cinderford’s Roger Birkin was sent to the sin bin with a few minutes remaining and once again Hertfordshire capitalised with a try from lock Rob Conquest. Watt’s conversion brought the final whistle and a deserved win for Hertfordshire.

Gloucestershire skipper Mike Wilcox was naturally disappointed. “We played well in the first half but we didn’t have the rub of the green in the second. We lacked discipline and let them into the game.” However, he and coach Simon Lane will be content that there are good blocks on which to build. The largely young squad, which included several players who had represented the U20 side, will have gained much from the experience.

Cornwall’s 32-14 win over Surrey means that the Cornishmen travel to Twickenham next weekend where they defend the Bill Beaumont Cup against Cheshire. Surrey will be relegated and replaced by Kent in the Championship next season.