Braintree 31 - Bancroft 10

BRAINTREE...31 BANCROFT...10 (Canterbury Jack Essex One)

BRAINTREE ended 2015 on a winning note as they maintained their 100 per cent Essex One record with a hard fought victory over Bancroft on Saturday.
The black and ambers recorded their tenth straight win and now sit second in the league, behind leaders East London on points difference alone.
But tellingly Tree have played the majority of their games away from Robbs Wood so far this season, unlike the table toppers and fellow title rivals Ilford Wanderers.
Fourth placed Bancroft came to Beckers Green Road fired up and backed by a large and vocal travelling support.
But knowing the visitors had relied on a powerful forward pack to accrue most of their points to date Tree fielded the biggest pack they could in a bid to even the odds up front.
Bancroft came out with all guns blazing and applied great pressure early on, leading to a successful penalty kick which gave them a 3-0 lead after nine minutes.
It took Tree until 25 minutes to hit back, man of the match Glenn Whyatt joining the line from full-back to outstrip the visitors’ defence and score out wide. 5-3.
Back came Bancroft again and their pressure eventually led to another penalty chance, the last action of the half, which they were unable to take, giving Tree a slim interval lead.
After the break the Buckhurst Hill side again came out hard and were immediately rewarded in the first minute with a try out wide from their eight off the base of an attacking 5m scrum.
The visitors converted the try to give them a 10-5 advantage but Tree were in no mood to surrender their unbeaten record.
Eventually the home side’s defensive organisation and experience began to tell and with it came more possession and control.
On 58 minutes good lineout ball saw play worked right across the pitch and a try from captain Tom Carslake which was converted by Kyle Crush to put Tree 12-10 ahead.
Crush himself added a third try for the home side on 65 minutes (17-10) before replacement scrum-half Dave Martindale skipped through to score try number four five minutes later in his first appearance of the season, Crush converting for a 24-10 lead.with a try.
Victory was secured five minutes from time when Whyatt raced through for his second try of the afternoon, Crush’s conversion sealing a 31-10 win.

BRUFC Manager Brian Joslin said: “It was a tough game and it was very close until the last 20 minutes.
“The boys worked really hard in attack and defence and they had to because Bancroft came to win, make no mistake.
“We scored some quality tries and Dave Martindale had a great game at 9 when he came on, linking well with Craig Willis at fly-half.
“Darren Page had a superb game when he switched to the wing, as did Glen Whyatt, and Kyle Crush had a great day with the boot.
“The whole pack put in a great effort and were really tested by Bancroft’s front eight, but our decision to select the biggest pack possible was fully vindicated.”
Tree’s victorious troops now have a two-week festive break before returning to action on January 9 with a tough away trip to third-placed Ilford.

BRUFC: Whyatt, Abbott (Martindale), Crane, Adams, K Crush, Willis, Page, Aldridge (Coote), Jones, Baker, Apps, Johnson, Fitzearle (C Stephens), Carslake, Smillie.

Braintree’s second XV recorded an excellent 24-22 victory away to Harlow IIs on Saturday tries scored by Tom Drew (hat-trick) and Adam Kenderick