Back
BRAINTREE 1st XV 34 - EAST LONDON 1st XV 17
Gary Bird18 Mar 2018 - 21:34
Share via
Second-half comeback not enough
A game of two contrasting halves was the best way to describe East London’s 34-17 defeat at Braintree in the London 3 Essex division on Saturday (17 March).
The first 40 minutes saw the home side with the benefit of driving snow at their backs and a slightly sloping pitch to their advantage and they scored six tries to the visitors one before the interval.
East London failed to cope with the icy wind in their faces early on and they were 19-0 down within 12 minutes as Braintree scored three tries, two of which were converted.
On 18 minutes East London scored a try of their own. Fly-half Alan Ferguson kicked a penalty towards the corner but a defender stopped the ball from finding touch. The defender’s attempted clearance kick was charged down by right wing Corey Griffiths and Griffiths won the race to touch down the loose ball under the posts. Ferguson converted.
It was the only highlight for the visitors in the first half as Braintree scored three more tries on 24, 29 and 36 minutes for a 34-7 lead at the break.
The second half was a different game as East London now had the benefit of the conditions and Braintree failed to trouble the visiting defence.
On 55 minutes following sustained pressure by the pack Ferguson chipped a kick into the left corner. Full back Alex Pearmain gathered the ball and fed to left wing Joe Kelly who scored. The conversion was missed.
By now the East London pack were doing to Braintree what had been done to them in the first half. On 64 minutes second row Rob Yiannakou forced his way over the try line but the ball was adjudged to have been held up. But it was short respite for the home side because three minutes later Pearmain scored in the right corner. The conversion was missed.
East London pressed for the fourth try bonus point their second half play deserved. A driving maul saw number eight Dan Bracken get the ball over the line with the final play of the match but again the ball was adjudged to have been held up.
Skipper Bracken said: “Conditions were awful but Braintree adapted better to them in the first half. We showed a lot of pride and courage in the second half and they didn’t trouble us at all.”
East London stay in fourth spot in the London 3 Essex table and travel to Maldon on Saturday (24 March).
East London 1st XV vs Braintree: 1. Ben Hogan; 2. Chris Hodgson; 3. Adrian Samuel; 4. Rob Yiannakou; 5. George Hill; 6. Ed Brown; 7. Nick Parrott; 8. Dan Bracken; 9. Jacob Williams; 10. Alan Ferguson; 11. Joe Kelly; 12. Ryan Exley; 13. Ryan Billinghurst; 14. Corey Griffiths; 15. Alex Pearmain. Replacements: 16. Sam Ames-Reddin; 17. Matthew Schofield; 18. Daryl O’Brien.
The first 40 minutes saw the home side with the benefit of driving snow at their backs and a slightly sloping pitch to their advantage and they scored six tries to the visitors one before the interval.
East London failed to cope with the icy wind in their faces early on and they were 19-0 down within 12 minutes as Braintree scored three tries, two of which were converted.
On 18 minutes East London scored a try of their own. Fly-half Alan Ferguson kicked a penalty towards the corner but a defender stopped the ball from finding touch. The defender’s attempted clearance kick was charged down by right wing Corey Griffiths and Griffiths won the race to touch down the loose ball under the posts. Ferguson converted.
It was the only highlight for the visitors in the first half as Braintree scored three more tries on 24, 29 and 36 minutes for a 34-7 lead at the break.
The second half was a different game as East London now had the benefit of the conditions and Braintree failed to trouble the visiting defence.
On 55 minutes following sustained pressure by the pack Ferguson chipped a kick into the left corner. Full back Alex Pearmain gathered the ball and fed to left wing Joe Kelly who scored. The conversion was missed.
By now the East London pack were doing to Braintree what had been done to them in the first half. On 64 minutes second row Rob Yiannakou forced his way over the try line but the ball was adjudged to have been held up. But it was short respite for the home side because three minutes later Pearmain scored in the right corner. The conversion was missed.
East London pressed for the fourth try bonus point their second half play deserved. A driving maul saw number eight Dan Bracken get the ball over the line with the final play of the match but again the ball was adjudged to have been held up.
Skipper Bracken said: “Conditions were awful but Braintree adapted better to them in the first half. We showed a lot of pride and courage in the second half and they didn’t trouble us at all.”
East London stay in fourth spot in the London 3 Essex table and travel to Maldon on Saturday (24 March).
East London 1st XV vs Braintree: 1. Ben Hogan; 2. Chris Hodgson; 3. Adrian Samuel; 4. Rob Yiannakou; 5. George Hill; 6. Ed Brown; 7. Nick Parrott; 8. Dan Bracken; 9. Jacob Williams; 10. Alan Ferguson; 11. Joe Kelly; 12. Ryan Exley; 13. Ryan Billinghurst; 14. Corey Griffiths; 15. Alex Pearmain. Replacements: 16. Sam Ames-Reddin; 17. Matthew Schofield; 18. Daryl O’Brien.
Further reading