It may have been very wet at Hobbs Way but Welwyn were still able to find plenty of sunshine in their performance against London Scottish Lions.

The home side fell to a 34-10 defeat against one of the favourites for the Counties One Herts Middlesex title but for long spells of this game, they more than held their own.  

They started well enough but gave a penalty away within sight of the posts to gift Scottish the first points.

But the first try of the afternoon belonged to the hosts.

Welwyn took the ball into the visitors' 22 and following a line-out and strong maul, Brendon Marume broke through the defensive line to score near the posts, allowing Chris Kemp to kick them into a 7-3 lead.

And the momentum continued to swing back and forth with both kickers performing admirably in the conditions.

A converted score from London Scottish made it 10-7 but Kemp responded after some pressure from Welwyn, slotting away the resulting penalty to level things up at 10-10.

One more successful kick from the away side broke the stalemate before Scottish crucially added another converted try to establish a 10 point lead just before half-time.

The second period saw Welwyn pushing to try to pull the score back they found the leaders' defence in mean mood.

It had looked as if the half would remain without any score as the hosts attacked, a pass out was intercepted on the Scottish 10m line, giving their winger an unimpeached run to the line.

That was converted and to rub salt into the wound, another penalty would bring a final converted score.

That was taken quickly and at first, it seemed as if he had knocked it on.

However, when everyone else stopped, he didn't, recovering quicker than the Welwyn defence to scoop the ball up and walk over the line.

The league takes a breather on Saturday to accommodate the Rugby World Cup final but Welwyn will be back in action on November 4 when they welcome another of the division's top sides in Chiswick to the garden city.

Datchworth were beaten 43-0 at home to third-placed Finchley to leave them one place and four points behind Welwyn in 10th.

They go to Enfield Ignatians next.