Reports from the weekend’s rugby union games across the region.

LONDON 1 NORTH

Brentwood23 Colchester27

Colchester outpaced Brentwood in an exciting match which went right up to the wire – the visitors scoring five tries to Brentwood’s four.

Skipper Calum Irvine opened the scoring shortly after the start with a deft grubber kick down the slope which he chased and grounded, but fly-half David Higgins failed with the conversion.

Brentwood replied with a grubber kick of their own which was grounded by centre Declan Gillette, who also failed the conversion.

Brentwood attacked again and earned a penalty when Ollie Pickett was penalised for offside in a ruck. Gillette was successful with his kick.

There followed a long period of attack and counter-attack with the Colchester pack having to work hard to contain their heavy opponents.

Eventually, Higgins put in an excellent long kick to the corner and, from the lineout, Colchester moved the ball to centre Irvine to claim his second try under the posts.

Shortly after the restart Brentwood were awarded a penalty by Jonathan De Mendorca but Gillette missed the target.

Later, Colchester’s No.7 Danny Whiteman gathered the ball on his own 22 and went on a maze-like run to reach Brentwood’s 22 before he was tackled. However, he managed to offload the ball which was quickly moved to wing James Crozier to score in the corner.

With minutes to go before the interval, Colchester attacked again and Irvine released full-back Brett Cutbush to score in the same corner. The visitors led 22-8 at the break.

After the break Brentwood put Colchester on the back foot and got a quick score. Gerome Awusu came off the bench to add some beef to the Colchester pack but the hosts added more points.

After this setback Colchester attacked and, from a lineout, the ball was moved to Whiteman who scythed through the defence to score an unconverted try.

MacCreadie was yellow-carded and, with a man advantage, Brentwood scored another try.

Brentwood forced Colchester backwards and the referee awarded several penalties against the Blacks who managed to stay firm during a relentless 10 minute battering.

Lock Graham Hay was yellow-carded shortly after MacCreadie rejoined the fray but Brentwood could not breach the 14 man defence.

At the last, Ben Murphy broke the log jam, raced up field and found Smith who had the good sense to end the game.

LONDON 2 NORTH

Rochford 17

Chelmsford 29

Chelmsford won at Rochford with a convincing display

With 10 of the side coming up through the colts system and five other players making their debuts, there is a younger look to the squad this season.

Debutant winger Will Ferrier and full back Jamie Ash both scored two tries each.

The visitors opened the scoring when a poor clearance kick from the home side was fielded by second row, Nick Sany. The ball found Ferrier who beat three men to score a great try, converted by Simon Hoult.

Five minutes later full back Jamie Ash burst through the home side’s defence, after a scrum, to touch down, Hoult converting.

At this point, Chelmsford allowed Rochford back into the game. Following a penalty kick to the corner, the ball was won from the line out and after several phases they managed to score an unconverted try.

Five minutes later the home side were awarded a penalty, which went just wide, but then a further unconverted try was scored from a driving maul.

On the stroke of half time, Ferrier scored a great try in the corner but damaged his leg in the process and was replaced.

Fly-half Hoult then put full-back Ash away down the left hand side and his pace saw him through to score a converted try.

The home side scored once again, and a converted try reduced the lead to 26-17. A final Hoult penalty saw Chelmsford home 29-17.

Braintree0 Holt30

Braintree were put to the sword by their Norfolk visitors in ruthless fashion

The scoreline flattered Holt somewhat, but the hosts’ inability to capitalise on their chances proved crucial.

The visitors who took the lead through Tom Jackson’s penalty, before the same player converted his own try for 10-0.

Braintree lost winger Fergus Rollit-Mason (hamstring) before Sam O’Sullivan was sidelined (ankle) and Charlie Fairchild was yellow-carded.

That infringement resulted in a penalty to Holt which Jackson despatched.

After Braintree went on the offensive in the second half, Holt counter-attacked and full-back Michael Humberston scored an unconverted try.

Barry van Poortvliet extended his team’s lead to 23-0 before Woods grabbed a try, converted by Josh Simmons.

LONDON 3 NORTH

Stowmarket92 Old Brentwood15

Stowmarket returned to London 3 North with a resounding 14-try victory that announced their intention to bounce straight back with promotion.

Old Brentwoods were unable to compete with the pace and attacking agility that Stowmarket had, although the conditions were absolutely perfect for the rampant home team.

Brentwoods did not want a fast, open game, but within the first three minutes, Stowmarket scored through their left winger Kieran Wilding.

Old Brentwoods responded well, punching up field via their big runners, and earned a penalty in front of the posts that was kicked. Immediately Stowmarket spread the ball wide as quickly as possible on every play, even from their own 22, and as the opposition tired, the gaps for Stow’s runners became increasingly visible.

Bob Burch and Stu Hill were particularly effective, frequently breaking tackles and getting the Stowmarket attack many yards past the gain line.

From such breaks came a deluge of tries, seven in the first half, the pick coming from a blistering run by full-back Dan Garrard.

The ball was recycled midway in the Stowmarket half, giving Garrard some room on the overlap.

He took the ball at pace and the despairing opposition full back was long gone as he touched down under the posts

The half-time score was 45-8 and the second period followed similar fashion.

In total 10 different players scored tries for Stowmarket, Garrard being the most prolific with three.

EASTERN COUNTIES DIVISION TOW SOUTH

Thorpeness10 Ipswich Magpies34

Thorpeness played with the wind at their backs in the first half and looked to use a territorial advantage, along with some strong scrummaging and running, to put pressure on Ipswich.

On 10 minutes they thought they had crossed the line but were held up just inches from touching down.

Ipswich had defended for several minutes and eventually play moved back towards half way, at which point a break-away try was scored by the visitors and converted.

Ipswich then ran in another try, before Thorpeness’ Jake Taylor slotted home a penalty.

With just five minutes left before half-time, Thorpeness put several phases of close running play together and Jason Hitz crossed for the try, converted by Taylor.

In the second half, Ipswich looked to run the ball as much as they could and scored 22 points with no reply.

DIVISION TWO WEST Cambridge 4s12 Haverhill52

Haverhill were on the scoreboard inside three minutes when Adam Hunt scored an unconverted try.

The next try came when the hard-working Adrian Cooper broke out of the front of the maul and laid the ball off to George Self who carried defenders over under the posts for a converted try.

On 25 minutes Cambridge won a line-out on 10 metres and drove Haverhill back for 5-12. Haverhill redressed the score three minutes later when Hunt made it 17-5.

On 47 minutes an uncontested scrum saw Haverhill’s Ricky Brown obstructed by the referee on the blind side. This allowed a Cambridge break, affording a 2 on 1 attack, and a converted score.

This galvanised Haverhill and Hunt sealed his third and fourth tries, while there was another two conversions for Ewens, who then converted his own try.

Patrick then scored a converted try for Haverhill.

Haverhill broke the half-century mark when Hunt ran 50 metres to score under the posts. The conversion was made by Ewens.