Two tries by Tabard's powerful flanker, Jag Johal, were enough to give Tabard victory over a keen Hertford side on Sunday, and book their place in the Herts Presidents Cup final.

Tabard now play Watford side Fullerians in the final, on April 6. Both Johal's tries came at the end of the first half, and were sufficient to give Tabard a 12 points to 7 lead at half time.

Until the first, after 35 minutes, Hertford had looked the more dangerous side, running hard at the Tabard defence and getting through in the 20th minute when the Hertford fullback Amos penetrated the usually-safe Tabard line.

Amos also added the conversion, and Tabard were seven points adrift. After this Tabard began to muster some attacks of their own, and centre Ed James was nearly through a couple of times, but in the end it was the Tabard forwards who tipped the balance.

From a line out, second row Michael Finnie set up the drive and as Hertford buckled Johal was in the affray to touch down for his first try. Then, in injury time, number 8 Ron Daniels found himself driving through the Hertford forwards and he passed to Johal for his second try, and this time scrum half Michael Skinner added the conversion.

The first 20 minutes of the second half was Tabard's best period of the game, with the forwards driving hard at their opponents and setting the three-quarter line moving.

Eventually the tactic paid off as the re-cycled ball was passed quickly down the line, fullback Richard Stringer nearly got through but as he was mauled down he passed to wing Craig Loversidge-Jenkins for the try, which Skinner converted.

Hertford fought back in the final quarter and were rewarded with two tries from their wing, Anstay, the first when he outflanked the Tabard cover, and the second from a scrum on Tabard's 22 metre line.

With the end of the game approaching Tabard raised their game and kept Hertford in their own half. Just on the end of normal time another line out drive from Tabard, close to the Hertford line, was stopped, but the ball was passed to winger Simon Valentine coming in at pace and he scored in the corner giving Skinner a difficult but successful conversion.

TABARD: Stringer, Valentine, Luders, James, Loversidge, Jenkins, Bassino, Skinner, Lockwood, Colette, Bromham, Sussum, Finnie, Johal, Ions, Matthews.

Hertford 17 Tabard 26

Herts Presidents Cup

semi-final

* Next week Tabard resume their league campaign away against Barking. With this weekend's games going against Tabard they are now fourth from bottom of the league, with the same league points as Barking, but ahead on points difference.