Rugby: South Essex round-up

BASILDON 15

WYMONDHAM 21

The new towners went into this game knowing that it was going to be a tough game.

And so it proved as the experience of the slightly older Norfolk team paid off. Wymondham also benefited from having a lot of players from the scrapped Norwich second team lining up.

Both teams were towards the top of London Three North East table going into the fixture and it was Wymondham who took the lead through a converted try and a penalty.

Basildon closed the points gap through Ian Burdett, who scored a good try following a fine break from Matthew Tilson.

But the try was not converted and with the scores at 11-5 the visitors added another three points thanks to a penalty given for an offside offence.

The Gardiners Close side then struck back with a try from a line-out ball which was recycled time and time again before Stuart Adams went over to make it 14-10 at half-time.

Basildon came out with their heads up and were rewarded when Craig Dockerill gave them the lead after constant pressure.

But with five minutes remaining Wymondham seized their chance to win after Scott Weekes threw the ball to Matthew Tilson, but it bounced off the shoulder of a Basildon player for a Norfolk player to pick it up and score.

"Basildon had a try disallowed which could have turned turned the game," said spokesman Dai Griffiths.

"We could have and should have sorted this game out in the first-half. One or two lapses in concentration cost Basildon the game."

He added that against an experienced side like Wymondham teams must take chances, but he pointed out there is pace in the Gardiners Lane side and the club is now waiting for them to gel next year.

Tackle time - Basildon players (green and white shirts) close in on a Wymondham opponent at Gardiners Lane

Picture: MAXINE CLARKE

Case in points

BASILDON II 19

ROCHFORD II 17

Alan Case had a fine game for Basildon in this very evenly-contested affair.

Scrum-half Ryan Richards returned to the side and performed well, as did Andy Skinner and Andy Sullivan.

Basildon lost two games due to cancellation. They should have played Woodford in the Under-16's Cup and their under-17s team were due to meet Thurrock.

Manor burst hopeful Canvey's bubble

ETON MANOR 31

CANVEY ISLAND 12

A confident and well-formed Canvey team travelled to Manor's Wanstead home hoping to capitalise on their previous week's performance.

Last Saturday the islanders lost 15-14 to London Three North East leaders Wanstead in a game they would have won had it not been for a disallowed try.

And at Eton Manor they proved they had been buoyed up by the result as they a brilliant first-half. Following lots of rucking and mauling, Canvey got a try from Matt Norris which was converted by Martin Dowell.

But the experienced Manor side squared things up with a converted try after a fight broke out following an alleged Canvey misdemeanour.

The punch-up lasted three or four minutes and no one was sent off as a result, but the incident threw the visitors off their stride and they were unable to recover.

With the scores standing at 7-7 at the beginning of the second-half, Eton's experienced players started pushing through and a poor Canvey period saw the hosts extend their lead to 31-7.

However, substitute Paul Gillingwater provided a bright spot for Canvey when he scooped up the ball 25 yards from the line and carried three players with him as he went over for an unconverted try.

Canvey were unable to do anything else and now find themselves not far off the bottom of the table.

But spokesman Christopher Davey said the islanders will shrug off this defeat and sort things out in the new year.

Colts seal win

UPMINSTER COLTS 8

CANVEY COLTS 11

The visitors turned in a good performance to seal victory at Upminster.

Lots of good running and commitment with the forwards winning rucks and mauls allowed the backs to make ground towards the opposition touchline. But Upminster took advantage of mistakes such as dropped balls and forward passes to keep themselves in the game.

Two penalties from Brett Smith put the islanders 6-0 up before poor tackling allowed Upminster to score an unconverted try followed by a penalty.

Despite being 8-6 down, Canvey were still bubbling and convinced they could win.

Their confidence was rewarded when Lee Zahra went over for the winning try in a game which saw Matthew Warren turning in a noticeable performance on his debut.

Game cancelled

Rochford's London Three North East game against Ely was postponed because the referee arrived too late at Magnolia Road for the game to be played. The match will now be rescheduled for the new year.

Ferrers triumph

BRAINTREE U10 5

SOUTH WOODHAM FERRERS 20

After successes against Thurrock and Bancroft, South Woodham travelled to Braintree for another triangular fixture where they were expectant of victory.

They were not disappointed despite atrocious weather conditions. Their first try came after only three minutes through scrum half Nick Beardall.

Prop Tom Griswood then scored his first of two for the game.

Braintree got one back before half-time before Tom Mills completed the South Woodham scoring in the second-half.

Half-ton up for Ferrers

BARKING U10 5

SOUTH WOODHAM FERRERS 50

South Woodham changed their side slightly so everyone got a game, but Barking were unable to match Ferrers' bigger players.

Strong running from centres Tom Griswood and Matt Yeates saw them score six and four tries respectively.

Pipped at post again

LOWESTOFT & YARMOUTH 20

SOUTHEND 13

The seasiders were without a number of their regular players due to injury and illness for this trip up the A12.

And their absence led to a disjointed performance which prevented Southend from making the most of their dominance in the forwards by scoring points.

Two opportunist tries and one conversion against the run of play gave the home side an ideal start to this London Two North fixture.

By half-time Southend had managed to get on the scoreboard through an Ed Rowe penalty to make it 12-3.

Lowestoft opened the second period and extended their lead with a penalty. This was soon cancelled out by another Rowe penalty for the visitors.

But poor defending allowed the hosts to score their final try of the day, although intense pressure from Southend's forwards paid dividends when scrum half Dave Masdly scored a try, which was converted by Rowe.

With the gap down to seven points, Southend made frequent attacks but they could not get over the line for the crucial try in yet another game which only just escaped them.

Game in limbo as Felixstowe falter

WESTCLIFF P

FELIXSTOWE P

Westcliff are waiting to hear what will happen to this game after Felixstowe were unable to field a team for this Eastern Counties One fixture.

The Suffolk side are considering pulling out of the league because they are drastically short of players.

"We will have to wait for the league to make a decision and we have no idea what will happen," said Westcliff spokesman Geoff Sawyer.

"We might be allowed to claim the points, but most people think if Felixstowe drop out of the league their points will be voided along with any points taken off them by other clubs.

"They have had this problem before. Last year half their seconds went into the first team and came down with nine players to play our Lions.

"Our third team game was cancelled and we were able to lend them some players," he added.

Westcliff's second team were mauled by an experienced Thurrock side 63-0.

Title

BRENTWOOD IV 12

WESTCLIFF A 0

The visitors put up a tremendous performance but the experience of the Brentwood team was the telling feature of this game.

Given use of the slope in the first-half, Westcliff almost took an early lead through outside half Martin Powell, whose snap drop goal attempt was just off target.

Twice the visitors nearly went over and were only kept out by desperate defending.

With the scores standing at 0-0 at half-time, Brentwood must have thought they would cruise through the second-half with the slope in their favour.

But they faced an even more determined Westcliff side in the second period, who grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck and camped on the home line.

Yet two breakaway tries - one of which was converted - from deep inside the Brentwood half gave the home side the advantage.

Westcliff spent the last part of the game deep in the opposition's half and the final whistle went with them just inches from the home goal line.

Rochford win battle of veterans

WESTCLIFF VETERANS 10

ROCHFORD VETERANS 10

With the first team not in action, the vice-president and his guests were treated to a veterans game.

Rochford took the lead with two tries but gave away Westcliff's first try.

From a scrum near their own line Rochford heeled out a ball and lost control of it, allowing Adrian Hastie to pick the ball up and dive over for a try.

Westcliff's equaliser came from a line-out on the Rochford 22 when the home side caught the ball and drove upfield to the visitors' line. Prop Tim Eastwell scored the vital try from under a pile of players.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.