H&B's thrilling Vase run comes to an end

For 50 minutes of this windswept cup tie, H&B bravely kept their dream of progressing vividly alive.

Then, in a powerhouse 10 minutes, their London NW4 opponents demonstrated how they had reversed a disastrous few seasons of freefall through the leagues, to win 14 of their last 15 league and cup games, as they battered Hastings upfront and tore apart their visitors' defence wide-out to run in a brace of tries that put paid to Hastings' best-ever cup run.

H&B had travelled to highflyers from leagues above in previous rounds and outplayed them to reach the last 32 in this national competition. This time they were ultimately outscored comprehensively by a quicker, fitter pack, dynamic flankers, an incisive back three - notable Welwyn's influential full-back, who created several of their scores - and above all the ability to build multiple phases of play. And although they were cheated of the chance to go ahead early in the second half, when the confused referee didn't even notice he had clumsily got in the way of a promising attack just yards from the line, H&B ultimately had no complaints that they were beaten by the better side.

But it didn't look that way for most of the first half. After a torrid start, when Welwyn ominously showed their forward power by driving Hastings' pack over their line for a pushover try in a clinically-worked move, well converted, H&B came back and played half an hour of ambitious, attacking rugby that kept the young, confident Welwyn side on the back foot and inside their own half for much of the period.

Good line-out work and determined scrummaging subdued Welwyn's powerful pack, and H&B's backs moved the ball whenever they could and defended aggressively in midfield. It soon became apparent to Welwyn that route one through the middle was well-marshalled, and that out wide was where their fleet left wing and incisive number 15 would come into their own.

But it was Hastings who scored next, when their scrum drove Welwyn off the ball in their own 22, and Paul Sandeman slipped the ball to Kit Claughton who dived through the defence for what was to prove their only score, leaving them just 7-5 down at half time.

In the second half, with the gusting breeze in their favour, Welwyn played the game H&B had denied them in the first half: first to the breakdowns, picking and driving, running through the phases and ultimately using their wide men to out-manoeuvre and outpace H&B's stretched cover. Two tries in the third quarter of the game made it 20-5, and a Welwyn touchline that had been anxiously muttering about a turnover were confidently discussing the next round of the vase. H&B were never seriously in the hunt again, and although they battled valiantly, the urgencies of playing catch-up rugby gifted Welwyn two further try-scoring chances, both of which they accepted with panache.

For H&B, flanker Steve McManus - until he came off with an injured hand - and prop Paul Northern, drove powerfully and made good ground, hooker Dave Sprinks threw in impeccably and lock Martin Shepherd put in a huge amount of work.

Fly half Claughton had a fine all-round performance, varying the attack and using slow ball to probe for weaknesses with an astute variety of kicks, and scrum half Sandeman tackled ferociously around the base of the scrum. Centre Seb Halligan in defence and winger Tom Brampton in attack posed their opposite numbers real problems.

"It was disappointing to lose but it was a creditable performance - we did as well as we were allowed to on the day," said manager Rob Hamilton.

"We've had a tremendous cup run - the best anyone can remember. I'm sure we've learnt a lot from it."