A solid scrum saw the home side penalised and Brentwood drove into the opposition's 22. The opening minutes saw the visitors well on top, with hooker Matt Northall and number eight John Beith linking well in the line-out phases.

Powerful scrummaging allowed Brentwood to win excellent phase ball for their backs.

However, after quarter of an hour and against the run of play, a missed tackle on the left wing saw North Walsham speeding for a converted try.

Up to this point the home side were being totally dominated a didn't look like scoring unless Brentwood made a mistake.

In the second quarter Brentwood maintained their pressure but, frustratingly for their supporters, they were unable to make the line due to poor decision making at critical times.

With the referee upsetting both teams with his decisions, centre Adam Thomas was yellow-carded for foul play.

However, the visitors eventually scored when forwards and backs linked across field and winger Scott Dowler out-paced the defence to touch down. Fly-half Dan Whitehead missed the conversion, but Brentwood were only 5-7 down at half-time.

A great half by the visitors, however, superior territory and possession had not led to further scores as chances hadn't been taken.

Now playing downhill, Brentwood continued to apply pressure but again North Walsham counter attacked with their open-side flanker breaking to score a converted try.

With Thomas back on the field the visitors drove into the home side's 22. Encamped on the right, Brentwood won four penalties as the home side illegally stopped forward drives.

On the fifth penalty the number seven was yellow-carded, before James Metcalfe went over for a try. It was disallowed the referee though but he then gave Brentwood a penalty try which was converted by Whitehead.

At 12-12 Brentwood were now dominant again and won a penalty in North Walsham's half. Taken by Whitehead the ball rebounded off the bar for Dowler to regather and touch down under the posts.

Converted the score was 19-12 and North Walsham, back at full-strength, were urged on by their large band of local supporters. The home team stepped up a gear and with less than a quarter of an hour to go the home side took on their opponents with a wave of attacks inside Brentwood's 22.

These attacks became a torrent as the whole Brentwood team put their bodies on the line to prevent North Walsham from scoring.

It was a bruising encounter and the pack, in particular, have never played better in this last period. The intensity of play was voracious, rarely seen at this level.

Winners at 19-12, Brentwood deservedly won the day and four points but hats off to North Walsham for making the game so compelling to watch.

With 32 points Brentwood remain sixth in the league. After the match, flanker James Metcalfe was awarded the newly reinstated man-of-the-match award for his tireless tackling.