Rochford XV 27
Bury St. Edmunds XV 12
A revitalised Rochford side resumed winning ways by outplaying their Suffolk visitors to put their league challenge back on track.
After the disappointment of the previous week the home side were in a more positive mood and immediately took the game to Bury.
The pressure finally told when centre Ben Green outwitted the opposition to run in under the posts for Mark Sexton to convert.
With Rochford's forwards winning good ball from the lineout it was not long before further gaps appeared and a flowing move with good interpassing between Alan Barker, David Knight and Jamie Banks resulted in Banks finishing off under the posts for Sexton to convert.
After thr re-start Rochford again begun in positive fashion and when the ever reliable Sexton slotted over a penalty it looked as if the home side would run away with the game.
Bury, however, applied the pressure up front in the scrums using their large forwards to drive Rochford back but it was Rochford who scored again when Alan Barker ran in for a try for Sexton to convert.
The visitors responded by driving for the line and were awarded a penalty which, instead of kicking for goal, they chipped over the Rochford defensive wall and were awarded a penalty try after a Rochford obstruction.
Bury then scored a further try before Sexton concluded proceedings with a penalty goal.
(Right It's mine - Billericay 2nds get lift-off during a lineout with their Rochford Rams opponents
Winning line up - Billericay 2nds show-off their new kit prior to their home win over Rochford Rams
Pictures: ROBIN WOOSEY
Billericay pip Rams
Billericay 2nd XV 9
Rochford Rams 6
A closely-fought encounter saw the visitors take first blood when Rochford's Ashley Colleridge scored a penalty just before half time.
However, Billericay reponded well after the interval and replied with two penalties within 10 minutes of the re-start.
Colleridge converted another penalty to bring the scores level soon after.
Billericay scored another penalty ten minutes from the whistle and although Rochford were given another five kickable penalties they failed to convert any of them.
Basildon give their very best
Basildon 33
Chingford 8
Basildon's best peformance of the season so far saw them control a strong Chingford side with apparent ease.
Stirling work from Dave Burkett and Spencer Hackett put a dampner on any serious Chingford threat as the visitors failed to ride the tackles of the young Basildon centres.
Prop Jason Mitchell helped the newtowners take their convincing scalp with powerful play up front and 21-year-old replacement skipper Matthew Tilson excelled himself in his first captaincy role - scoring two tries and wrapping up the day's proceedings by converting his own effort late in the second half.
Other try scorers were John Martin, Hackett, Burnett, Williams and Kirkupp.
Rampant Stags crush Maldon
Rochford Stags 49
Maldon 3rd XV 0
This match started late due to Maldon being delayed in traffic.
Consequently, the Stags were watched by their largest crowd ever, who had earlier watched the first team match on the adjacent pitch.
This support encouraged the Stags to play open running rugby scoring a total of seven team tries, all converted by guesting 4th Team Captain Lawrence Thorn.
18-year-old Paul Richardson made a fine senior debut and launched many of Rochford's attacks from full back.
The Stags tries came from Kenton Avis (2), Nigel White (2), Mark Kerr, Michael Brimley and Lawrence Thorn. Lions out of merit
Wanstead 2nds 30
Westcliff Lions 5
This South West Essex Merit table clash saw the young Lions team under pressure from the start as they struggled to cope with an experienced Wanstead side.
Ben Shingleton did cross over in the second half to give the Lions their only points of the game.
Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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