Cambridge stay in National League 1 title hunt after Kwaku Asiedu scores hat-trick of tries in win at Esher

A hat-trick from Kwaku Asiedu has kept Cambridge firmly on the coat-tails of National League 1 leaders Rams.

Asiedu, who is the division’s top try scorer this term with 24, did much of the damage as second-placed Cambridge ran out 56-22 winners from their trip to Esher on Saturday.

There was a period of the first half that saw the hosts open up a 10-7 lead, but their points were sandwiched between two tries from Asiedu – both of which Steffan James converted – to send the visitors heading into the break 14-10 in front.

Five minutes after the restart Cambridge fly-half James converted his own try, and from that moment onwards the away team were in command.

Jake McCloud and Ben Brownlie then both went over – with James again on target on both occasions – to put some clear daylight between the two sides before Asiedu completed his trio haul, with the extras from James flying between the posts.

There was some momentary respite for Esher when Fergus Donnelly dotted down, but it soon proved to be short-lived as George Bretag-Norris and Matt Williams added further converted tries for Cambridge.

The final say on proceedings went to the home team when Joe Parkes ran in an unconverted try two minutes from time, but the outcome had long been settled.

Elsewhere, Rams’ convincing 52-24 home win at the expense of Leeds Tykes saw them retain their seven-point advantage over Cambridge at the summit.

Cambridge will aim to make most of any potential slip up from Rams on Saturday (March 11) when they host ninth-placed Birmingham Moseley, while the table toppers are on the road away at top-half outfit Plymouth Albion on the same day.