Cambridge ended their four match winless streak with a solid victory over Hartpury University on Monday night.  The Blues racked up enough points early on to render a spirited second-half performance from Hartpury in vain.

The Cambridge pack established themselves in the very first play of the match, returning the kickoff with a strong maul.  Further smart play built sustained pressure, which soon resulted in a Cambridge.  Blues fly-half Stevens overcame the narrow angle to kick his side into a 3-0 lead, the first of many fine shots at goal over the course of the match.  Hartpury’s best scoring opportunity of the half went begging soon after the restart.  Ben Roberts broke two tackles in midfield, but, with the line at his mercy and two men outside him, Hubert could not hold on to the crucial pass.

For the most part, Hartpury struggled to take the game into Cambridge territory.  The Cambridge backs did their bit, chasing down the Hartpury back three in support of Stevens’ excellent tactical kicking, while the forwards looked relieved to be playing against a smaller pack for the first time this season.  The line out functioned well, and provided a stable base for some dominant mauling.  When Hartpury were forced to collapse a maul, Stevens slotted a second penalty goal, before a careless offside gave him a third to take the score to 9-0.

Cambridge remained in the ascendency, wearing down the Hartpury defence.  May was caught just short after a clean break through the Hartpury defence, though the supporting pick and drive was held up in-goal.  But this still gave Cambridge a five metre scrum, from which scrum-half Peck ran in untouched on the blindside.  Stevens’ only missed placed kick of the night left the score at 14-0, which is where it stayed when his drop goal attempt hit the post.

Ill-discipline had cost Hartpury so many points in the opening quarter of the match, and it cost lock Linsell ten minutes in the sin bin.  Referee Veryan Boscawen took a dim view of Linsell’s late tip tackle on Farmer, brandishing the yellow card.  With the Hartpury pack down to seven men, Cambridge grew even more dominant in the scrum, winning against the head and opting for repeat scrums when they were awarded penalties.  It was only a matter of time before Hartpury were driven back over their own try line, allowing Farmer to touch down from number eight.  Stevens’ successful conversion gave Cambridge a half-time lead of 21-0.

Hartpury came out with renewed vigour in the second half, with good line outs and mauls returning the favour to the Cambridge forwards.  Hartpury deserved to get on the scoreboard after fifty minutes, though their try came in a freakish manner.  A grubber kick bounced off the corner flag to remain in play, and Crossley beat the Cambridge defence to the ball to score the try.  But this only seemed to shock the Cambridge pack back into life.  They soon cancelled out their stroke of misfortune with a try at the other end, Farmer peeling off a maul for his second try of the match.

The pendulum swung again as the Cambridge pack suffered another lull, allowing Hartpury to maul their way over for a second try.  Perry’s missed conversions left the score at 28-10, before Cambridge struck the final blow of the match.  Replacement scrum-half Tullie joined his counterpart on the score sheet to take the final score to 35-10.