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Sat 06 Dec 2014 · London 2 North East
Braintree1st XV
28
55
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Walden come good in last quarter of match
Graham Marshall22 Aug 2019 - 12:42
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Walden only 4 points behind league leaders after another bonus point win.
Walden travelled to local rivals Braintree on a cold but bright afternoon with the underfoot conditions still fairly boggy due to the recent rain.
Belying their league position the home team started off brightly and soon pressurised Walden into conceding a penalty in front of the posts and then when they scored a try virtually from the kick off after some poor defending by Walden to go 8 nil up after only 3 minutes they could not have started better.
However Walden with ball in hand looked good and 5 mins later attacking Braintree inside the 22, centre Tom Hughes spotted a gap and ran through to notch Waldens first points 8- 7 as Tom Price converted.
Walden received the ball from the kick off and 4 minutes later scored one of the best tries of the match as they set up several phases and with some neat off loading as backs and forwards combined eventaully passing to No8 Tom Pryke to go over in the corner and Price converted 8 – 14.
Braintree hit back with a try of their own to narrow the gap to 1 point 13- 14 before Walden set up a driving maul and prop Steve Muggridge went over in a well worked forwards try. 13 – 21 22 mins.
8 mins later B'tree hit back with another try and for the last 10 mins of the half neither side scored any more points leaving the half time score at 18- 21.
When 5 mins into the second half Tom Hughes scored his second try after a fine solo effort to take Walden 28 - 18 in front it looked like game over for the home team.
But Braintree showed plenty of determination and scored 2 quick tries to level the score at 28 each.
Walden regrouped and finally sorted out the defence and as the home team started to tire, the Walden youngsters started to impose themselves on the game and they regained the lead as centre Mark Kimberley found himself on the wing and cut inside to beat 2 players stretching out to just get the ball over the line to score. 28 – 33.
Now it was all Walden as they made the changes with Mark Kimberley coming off full back Harry Beddows went into the centre and winger Paul Marshall slotted into Fullback.
Walden scored a penalty in front of the posts to extend the lead to 8 points at 28 – 36 65mins.
Then a Braintree clearance kick saw Walden take the ball up to the half way line and after a couple of phases it was passed down the blindside to Marshall who beat his first man and just stayed ahead of the Braintree winger fending him off a couple of times to score wide out. 28 – 41 after 68 mins.
Braintree did not give up and when Walden prop Kato Nganeko was sin binned for persistent offside they kicked to the corner but some great defence kept home side out and forced them back towards the 22. B'tree tried everything but an errant pass was intercepted by winger Dave Patch who ran the 80mtres to make the game safe 28 – 48 after 75 mins.
In fact despite being down to 14 men Walden enjoyed a fine last 5 mins and forced another try with a patient display of rugby and created a 2 man overlap for Marshall to score his second try on the stroke of full time. Final score 28 – 55.
The score line flattered Walden a bit, but the good thing was that they played right through to the end and for 2 or 3 players making their senior debuts it was good baptism which bodes well for the future.
They will now they have to step up several levels when they face high flyers Norwich and Diss in the next 2 games but with several players returning there is no reason why they can not go into the Christmas break in good spirits.
Belying their league position the home team started off brightly and soon pressurised Walden into conceding a penalty in front of the posts and then when they scored a try virtually from the kick off after some poor defending by Walden to go 8 nil up after only 3 minutes they could not have started better.
However Walden with ball in hand looked good and 5 mins later attacking Braintree inside the 22, centre Tom Hughes spotted a gap and ran through to notch Waldens first points 8- 7 as Tom Price converted.
Walden received the ball from the kick off and 4 minutes later scored one of the best tries of the match as they set up several phases and with some neat off loading as backs and forwards combined eventaully passing to No8 Tom Pryke to go over in the corner and Price converted 8 – 14.
Braintree hit back with a try of their own to narrow the gap to 1 point 13- 14 before Walden set up a driving maul and prop Steve Muggridge went over in a well worked forwards try. 13 – 21 22 mins.
8 mins later B'tree hit back with another try and for the last 10 mins of the half neither side scored any more points leaving the half time score at 18- 21.
When 5 mins into the second half Tom Hughes scored his second try after a fine solo effort to take Walden 28 - 18 in front it looked like game over for the home team.
But Braintree showed plenty of determination and scored 2 quick tries to level the score at 28 each.
Walden regrouped and finally sorted out the defence and as the home team started to tire, the Walden youngsters started to impose themselves on the game and they regained the lead as centre Mark Kimberley found himself on the wing and cut inside to beat 2 players stretching out to just get the ball over the line to score. 28 – 33.
Now it was all Walden as they made the changes with Mark Kimberley coming off full back Harry Beddows went into the centre and winger Paul Marshall slotted into Fullback.
Walden scored a penalty in front of the posts to extend the lead to 8 points at 28 – 36 65mins.
Then a Braintree clearance kick saw Walden take the ball up to the half way line and after a couple of phases it was passed down the blindside to Marshall who beat his first man and just stayed ahead of the Braintree winger fending him off a couple of times to score wide out. 28 – 41 after 68 mins.
Braintree did not give up and when Walden prop Kato Nganeko was sin binned for persistent offside they kicked to the corner but some great defence kept home side out and forced them back towards the 22. B'tree tried everything but an errant pass was intercepted by winger Dave Patch who ran the 80mtres to make the game safe 28 – 48 after 75 mins.
In fact despite being down to 14 men Walden enjoyed a fine last 5 mins and forced another try with a patient display of rugby and created a 2 man overlap for Marshall to score his second try on the stroke of full time. Final score 28 – 55.
The score line flattered Walden a bit, but the good thing was that they played right through to the end and for 2 or 3 players making their senior debuts it was good baptism which bodes well for the future.
They will now they have to step up several levels when they face high flyers Norwich and Diss in the next 2 games but with several players returning there is no reason why they can not go into the Christmas break in good spirits.
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