A tough start to the season for the Hammers 4s

With Hampstead calling off the week before, Hammers 4s were made to wait another week to sink their teeth into the 22-23 season proper. After a top-2 finish and play-off final appearance last season, hopes were high that this year would be another full of success, wins, and beer.

Unfortunately only one of these would come to pass; a few jars in the Temperance sorely needed to revitalise spirits after a chastening afternoon chasing shadows.

With their 1st team ‘resting’ this weekend, Twickenham 2s turned up to fortress Hurlingham with a suspiciously capable array of siege weapons.

A competitive and combative opening 20 minutes ensued, before a brace of quickfire tries for the visitors set the tone for the afternoon. When ‘stand aside, this is unmissable’ captain-elect Steve Danby dismissed several offers from the back line to pop over a rudimentary 3-pointer in front of the sticks, and missed horribly, hopes began to wane.

Stand up the freak child; after bulky Ulster wing Andrew McNair stood in at 10 and drew the attention of the watchful Twickers back line, Fulham’s largest 18-year-old Charlie Keane took a quick 8-pick blind and played in fly-half Smithy, who finished like the outside back he would firmly rather be.

With a touch line conversion to redeem himself, and a hearty roar to follow, Steve corralled the boys into a physical offensive.

It lasted 3 minutes.

A communication cock-up led to Smith earning himself a third consecutive dick of the day for Hammers, grubbering through when in for a 2-on-1 on the halfway line, when a score would’ve brought Hammers within 3.

Makeshift scrum half Adam Heaps played well throughout and the highlights reel also had plenty to choose from thanks to the silky running of outside backs Joel Mariner, Riley Humphreys, and Lewis Gray.

Whilst the scoreboard began to run away from Hammers in the second half, the contest never died, with scores from Charlie and Steve keeping the game alive until the final 15.

Overall, Hammers will be pleased to have got a first performance under the belt, with some useful attacking shape to build on this season. Twickenham return to HQ looking strong set for another league title.