Colchester kicked-off 2004 with a home friendly against Saffron Walden, who lie in fourth place in London Division Three - the league above the All Blacks.
Both sides were looking for a good work-out before the league programme starts again next Saturday, and they each took plenty of positives from the game.
A Colchester scrum five metres from their own line was wheeled and Walden now had the put in, a pushover try looking certain.
But Colchester took the ball against the head and number eight Jay Duder picked up before passing to scrum-half Brad Alexander, who released wing Matt Harwood.
He sprinted 70 metres for a score against the run of play.
Saffron Walden continued to play well and a good spell of forward pressure was rewarded with a try to level the score at 5-5 after 12 minutes.
Colchester started to get into the game more and tried to use their backs, but a knock-on was kicked through by Saffron Walden, resulting in a second try.
Despite struggling with their own scrum, Colchester managed to win their own ball in the first half and attacked the visitors' defence.
A break by Duder from his own half was taken on by flanker Sam Girdlestone before the ball was spread to the backs.
Mike Fields then breached the defence before passing to his centre partner Pete Smith, who beat the full-back to score before James Gee's conversion levelled the score at 12-12.
Colchester fielded the kick-off but Saffron Walden turned over possession, and a clever kick into space from the scrum-half allowed his winger to gather and score in the corner.
But Colchester kept battling, and when Jez Castle stole the ball from an opposition maul, it was spun out to Smith, who mesmerised the defence for his second score, and the game's sixth try in just 30 minutes.
The All Blacks rang the changes during the second half, bringing on 17-year-olds Shane Steward and Mark Braidwood to lock and flanker and moving Gee in to scrum half and Smith to fly-half, plus two other substitutions.
Saffron Walden dominated possession during the half, raising the pace of the game and keeping Colchester on the back foot.
A penalty in Colchester's 22 was quickly passed to the backs where the fly-half made the initial break before popping the ball to the full-back to score under the posts.
The next try came when the left wing was given space to run and score in the corner, and with ten minutes to go, a fast-moving rolling maul was the platform for the visitors' final try.
Published Tuesday January 6, 2004
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article