Both teams followed on from last seasons clashes and once again put on an excellent spectacle.

The team was depleted with a thumb injury to David Draper. Billericay started against a strong wind in a game which flowed from end to end.

Upper Clapton took an early lead with a penalty and a well worked try finished off by their right winger. Billericay replied with a penalty of their own through the prolific Andy Warren and a try from Adam Hudson.

Two further penalties from Upper Clapton fly half gave them a 16-8 half time lead.

With the wind behind them the Billericay side pressed forward. Some excellent positional kicking from Andy Collings coupled with outstanding line out work from Andy Goldsmith and Steve Clow set the platform for some good ball to the backs.

Billericay's efforts eventually paid off with a try from Andy Warren which he was unlucky not to convert himself.

Billericay's waves of attacks, many instigated by scrum half Glenn Smith, were time and time again thwarted by the Clapton defensive wall.

Billericay's defence also held strong with some fearless tackling from the back row of Sean Norris, Mark Yates and Grant Norfolk. An excellent display from young lock Steve Butler was cut short when he received a dead leg and had to be replaced by Nick Waller.

A late penalty from Clapton finished the scoring in this well fought Eastern Counties Division 1 match.

Billericay entertain Stanford this Saturday (November 2) with a 2.45pm kick-off.

Published Thursday October 31, 2002