CANVEY ISLAND...6 BRAINTREE...20 (Canterbury Jack Essex 1B)

BRAINTREE RUGBY UNION FOOTBALL CLUB 2016/17 SEASON.
Any copy queries to BRUFC Publicity Officer John Troup on 07860-179347.

CANVEY ISLAND...6 BRAINTREE...20 (Canterbury Jack Essex 1B)

A MAKESHIFT Braintree side kept their 100 per cent record intact with an impressive victory away to Canvey Island on Saturday.
The hard fought win stretched the black and ambers lead at the top of Canterbury Jack Essex 1B to 13 points.
And it was all the more rewarding for being achieved despite the absence of three key players through injury.
John Smillie, Dan Johnston and Wes Apps all missed the trip to the Thames Estuary, but every one of their replacements did them proud in what was Tree’s toughest test to date.
The hosts laid siege to the black and ambers defence for the first 20 minutes of the game, but heroic defence meant that their only points return was from a solitary penalty kick.
After soaking up all that sustained pressure Tree finally decided enough was enough and ventured upfield to score with their first attack.
A lovely pass to fly-half Joss Adams was switched inside to inside centre Craig Willis who drifted through the Canvey defence to score before converting his own try. 7-3.
Both sides then exchanged successful penalties to see Tree go in at half-time with a narrow 10-6 lead.
The second half began in the same vein with Canvey, driven on by a partisan crowd, battering the hosts’ defence.
But once again Tree absorbed the onslaught without surrendering their line before attacking on the break in a move which led to Willis kicking another successful penalty. 13-6.
The game hung in the balance and the visitors were forced to repel three five-metre scrums in quick succession as the islanders far heavier pack looked to seize the advantage.
But after the last of their attacks ended with a knock-on over the line Tree broke free and began to work their way upfield again.
It seemed only a matter of time before they penetrated the tiring Canvey defence and so it was as Adams left a trail of defenders clutching air in his wake to score the decisive try.
Willis stepped in to notch the conversion and seal a superb 20-6 win for Tree, marred only by the ruptured achilles injury to their veteran hooker Stevie Sewell.
BRUFC Joint Coach Brian Joslin said: “Canvey pushed us really hard in the home fixture at the start of the season and since losing to us had gone on a winning run.
“Considering we were missing key personnel everyone within the group realised we were in for a tough day.
“But thanks to a momentous defensive effort typified by Neil Fitzearle we kept our 100 per cent record intact.
“Canvey threw everything at us but they just couldn’t penetrate our defence, whereas every time we entered their 22 we came away with points.
“Craig Willis put in a man of the match performance in a game that for me was our most pleasing display of the season so far.”
Tree will hope to continue their perfect record when they travel to Thetford in the RFU Vase on Saturday before returning to league action at home to Maldon on December 10.
• Braintree’s depleted second XV put in a creditable performance on Saturday despite losing 39-17 to South Woodham Ferrers IIs, while the academy side returned to winning ways with a 40-0 hammering of Sudbury Colts.
BRUFC: Drew, Alexander, Matthew, Willis, Rollit-Mason, Adams, Martindale, Coote, Sewell, Prince, Fitzearle, Mlambo, Benfield, Williams, Carslake. Reps: Perry, W Turner, Lee.