Walden rally to take a Try Bonus point away at Chingford

Walden travelled to Chingford who sit third in the league on a cold dry afternoon with the over night frost leaving the pitch firm but just playable.
Somehow just like the game at Walden earlier in the season Walden did not start well conceding 17 points in the first 20 minutes of the game as Chingford scored 3 tries with some strong running helped by the bounce of the ball and a few missed tackles.
Finally with nearly half an hour played Walden got some decent possession and a good break by Adam Miles supported by Ben Nash they got deep inside Chingfords 22 metre are a driving maul was set up and flaker Brad Baker pealed off the side and scored the first of Walden's tries converted by fly half Tom Price to narrow the gap to 17-7.
But Chingford hit back straight away as Walden spilled the ball and allowing Chingford to score their fourth try to once again go 17 points up at 24 – 7 32 mins.
Walden were now starting to play like they should have done from the start of the game and forced an error resulting in a Chingford Yellow Card. They choose to run the ball and with several phases worked it over the line for it to be held up. But from the resulting 5 metre scrum they got good clean ball to the No8 Tom Pryke and started to push the home pack back towards the try line. Just as they looked to have scored Chingford collapsed the scrum and the Referee had no choice but to award a penalty try 24 – 14 37 mins.
From the kick off Chingford regained possession and attacked from deep and Walden Scrum half Paul Marshall infringed at the side of a ruck and was sin binned just before the half time whistle.
The home team took advantage of the extra man early in the second half scoring two further tries wide out as the winger went round the outside and they were 20 points up at 34 -14 50 mins.
But Walden knew they needed to stay calm and just work on the next play and work for 2 more tries for the bonus point and within 2 minutes of Marshall being back on the field he made up for his earlier indiscretion when from the base of an attacking ruck 15 metres out he spotted a gap and was through unopposed. 34 – 21.
For the next 10 mins it was all Walden and when second row and captain James Gosden went over for the Bonus point try with Tom Price kicking the conversation to maintain his 100% kicking record in 2017 Walden were within one score at 34 – 28.
With no score board Walden asked the Referee for the score and he misread his notes and informed them that the score was 39 – 28 so Walden thought they had to score another try to get within losing Bonus point range. So they tried to run it out of defence despite some good kicking by Chingford to pin them back. A couple of half chances went begging as Walden tried to exploit the gap behind the first wave of defence.
Perhaps it was inevitable that with what they thought was nothing to lose they made a mistake deep inside their own half and Chingford turned the ball over to score the last try of the game with still 6 mins of the game remaining. Actual score 39 – 28.
Walden now realising the real score tried to get back to within 7 points to give them the losing point but it was not to be and the clock ran down with no further scores.
Walden were frustrated as much by their own performance especially in the first 20 mins gifting a couple of tries as they were by the mix up with the scoring. But in hindsight getting a losing Bonus point away at a top 3 side, plus coming back from 20 points down to so nearly snatch a win will provide hope for next weeks home game v Ruislip at Henham, kick off at 2pm please come along and support.