Harpenden 14 Finchley 13

London League Division Three (North-West)

Vivian Jenkins, who began his rugby career with Finchley in 1930, before switching to London Welsh and gaining 15 international caps, celebrated his 90th birthday on Saturday.

He was a guest of Harpenden, his home town club, for the match against Finchley.

But for Vivian, who later became the rugby correspondent of the Sunday Times, it was not a fitting spectacle, as both teams regularly spilled the ball.

Finchley were ahead 8-3 at half-time, through a penalty by James Webb and a try by Brendan Moore, to a penalty.

After Harpenden levelled with an unconverted try Alex Young went over for a try under the posts.

But Webb missed with the simple conversion and was also off target with a penalty from a similar position, before Harpenden snatched victory with two penalties.

Finchley are at home to Letchworth in the league on Saturday, kick-off 2.15pm.

December 5, 2001 10:54