Braintree 50 v 5 Chelmsford

BRAINTREE…50
CHELMSFORD…5 (London North East Two)

RAMPANT Braintree produced their best performance of the season as they
put Chelmsford’s 18-game unbeaten run to the sword at Robbs Wood on
Saturday.

But their heroic efforts to pip Rochford to the London NE2 title ended
in gallant failure as the south Essex side got the bonus point win they
needed to seal the crown.

Tree ended the league campaign with more wins and a better points
differential than any of their rivals.

But they lost out to Rochford by a solitary point due to Hundred’s
better record of bonus point wins.

The black and ambers now face a play-off with London NW2 runners-up
Harpenden at Robbs Wood to decide who clinches promotion to London One
South for next season.

Tree’s biggest crowd of the season were treated to a superb display of
running rugby as their favourites made the highly rated visitors look
like distinctly average.

The match was only seven minutes old when the hosts drove forward from
a scrum, forcing Chelmsford to concede a penalty for handling on the
ground.

Tree secured ball from the line-out which resulted from a kick to touch
and full-back Chas Monk joined the line at speed to score his third try
in two games.

Craig Willis notched a superb conversion in the bright conditions to
give his side a 7-0 lead.

Five minutes later Tree were at it again as impressive link-up play
between the forwards and backs enabled prop John Smillie to burst
across the line for try number two.

Willis again did the honours with his boot and on 21 minutes the home
side added their third score.

Prop John Smillie then punctured the Chelmsford defence with a midfield
break and the ball was recycled to prop Jamie Prince.

Prince was held up just short of the line but scrum-half Darren Page
sniped in from close range to pick up and score for a 19-0 lead, Willis
missing with the conversion this time.

But the visitors gave ample warning of how dangerous they were when
they scored with their first meaningful attack on 26 minutes.

A catch and drive move from a kick to touch ended with scrum-half Luke
Venn barrelling over from close range to reduce the arrears to 19-5.

But normal service was resumed on the half-hour when Tree secured the
bonus point they needed to give them a fighting chance to overhaul
Rochford.

A line-out on the visitors’ 10-metre line ended with the hosts securing
ball and moving it swiftly in field.

Fly-half Dave Martindale slipped a superb pass to outside centre Tom
Green who hit the gas from 20 metres out to scorea try which was
converted by Willis for 26-5.

There was a brief flutter of concern when second row Jamie Durham was
sin-binned a minute before the break for persistent offending, but Tree
saw out the half.

After the break there was no let up for the visitors as Tree continued
to link-up their play superbly, swift recycling of the ball enabling
them to retain possession at will.

Despite stoic defence from Chelmsford the floodgates opened again on 54
minutes when they failed to find touch from a defensive kick.

The ball was run back at them by Monk who fed the ball to Willis,
enabling the kicker to score an uncoverted try of his own in the left
hand corner for 31-5.

Six minutes later replacement Charlie Marsden went over for try number
six after a catch and drive move from a line-out to make the score 36-
5.

Chelmsford then saw their ranks reduced to 14 as flanker Jack Venn was
sin-binned for an offence committed in the face of relentless pressure
from the home side.

Try number seven followed on 63 minutes and was of such high quality
that the match referee later described it as one of the best he’d ever
seen.

A superb run out of defence by Monk saw him offload the ball to Daryl
Coote before the pair continued to make progress with some slick inter-
passing.

Coote finally offloaded to Green who took the ball at pace to score his
second of the game in the corner, Willis converting to make the score
43-5.

It was no surprise to the watching spectators when Tree delivered the
last rights to their derby rivals deep into injury time.

Another Chelmsford penalty failed to make touch and Page fielded the
ball in his own 22 before setting off on the counter-attack.

The ball was then spread through the backs before being passed inside
to Coote who rampaged over from close range, Willis’s conversion adding
the final points.

BRUFC Chairman of Selectors Jeff Lewis said: “The boys gave it
absolutely everything because there was a tiny chance Rochford might
not get a bonus point win over Enfield.

“They produced their best display of the season and at times it was
breathtaking to watch. They were just superb and it was lovely to see.

“We were so dominant in possession that we restricted a very good side
to scraps of ball in areas where they couldn’t do anything with it.

“Now we have to ensure we protect our unbeaten home record when
Harpended visit us for the play-off. The boys will definitely be up for
it.”

There’s no let-up for Tree’s battle-weary troops yet though as they
travel to Essex rivals Romford & Gidea Park next Saturday for their
London & South East Division Intermediate Cup semi-final.

BRUFC: Monk, N Ashford, Green, Willis, Adams (Masters 60), Martindale,
Page, Smillie (Johnson 60), Sewell, Prince, Durham, Loftus, Cadby,
Coote, T Carslake (Marsden 41).

ENDS