Hammers humbled at Kings House

A weekend to forget for Hammers, despite the late summer sun. An away trip to local rivals CS Stags looked an enticing prospect, following on from last week’s success against London Welsh and the boys were looking to build on that momentum.

The Hammers were quickly reminded of the challenges that they face at Level 5 as Stags put together a dominant performance from start to finish. An encouraging opening 10 minutes, highlighting Hammers ability to stretch the opposition was dampened by unforced errors and aggressive defense from Stags. Their relentless ability go get over the game line combined with speed of ball kept Hammers on the back foot, resulting in a flurry of first-half tries, crossed over from out wide.

The one way service was briefly halted via an interception from Tim Russell, scoring his 4th try in 2 games. It heralded a small sign of life, and was shortly followed by an entrenched period within the 22, however the Hammers proved their own worst enemy, with unforced errors and continuous penalties letting the Stags off the hook. The second-half offered Hammers an opportunity to build press the reset button, but Stags resumed their grip on the game, with a strong set-piece offering the perfect platform for their backs to punch holes in the Hammers backline when faced with lackluster line speed.

A final score of 57-7 was a humbling one for Hammers, but a result that would be sure to light a fire under the boys in preparation for their next home fixture against Maidenhead. 2 games down. 1 win, 1 loss, with all teams bar 1 having a loss against their name. This league looks set to be wide open, but the boys must respond.