Colchester failed to end their league campaign with a bang when they slumped to a heavy defeat against Old Verulmanians.

This game being the last league match of the season, and the outcome not affecting the already determined position of either club, there was great expectation of a feast of running rugby.

In glorious spring sunshine, the visitors completely overwhelmed the home side to the extent of ten tries (four of them converted) to a response of a solitary try.

At the end of the first quarter a try was scored by Colchester's evergreen Neil Hamilton - one of the few excursions into opposition territory - and Colchester were by and large forced to fight a rearguard defence which all too often proved extremely vulnerable.

Sadly Hamilton's try was the one example of a fine performance of power and support play and if the many home supporteres were expecting many repetitions, they were not forthcoming.

Old V's were quickly on the scoreboard in the fourth minute from the first of a hat-trick of tries by their outstanding number eight Peter Webb.

He constantly evaded outstretched hands throughout the game and was a tower of strength to his ever more confident team mates.

A powerful front row had the Blacks in almost every scrum going backwards which again had the young gallant Lee Clasby at scrum-half desperately feeding off scraps of possession.

The much heavier pack of the visitors saw just reward with a push-over try touched down by Webb in the 25th minute and converted by full back Featherstone.

As if playing seven-a-side rugby, further tries came for Old V's in the 29th and 33rd minutes by left wing Teuton and prop Gareth Tanner.

Starting the second half with Old V's sustaining the pressure of the first half they were soon on the board with a try by Webb again diving over the line after a great deal of superior forward driving.

Colchester's centre Eddie Holmes left the field with a leg injury to be replaced by Nick Yoxall, followed by the dismissal of skipper Roy Abrehart for responding to provocation.

Into the last quarter the quicksilver left wing Simon French showed a clean pair of heels to his pursuers to score, converted by Featherstone.

Colchester did reply with a spirited attack but a ball turnover resulted in centre Ollie Stokes scoring in his right corner.

The rampant visitors could not be stopped with lock Anton Skypec barging over the line in the 72nd minute and running further amock added their score in the 78th minute with his hat-trick try by Webb in his left corner.

Despite the heavy defeat, the spirits of the very young home side were not daunted and they cannot envisage other than coming top of London Division 3 N.E. next season.

Colchester's scrum-half Lee Cladsby chrges down the field during his side's 58-5 mauling at the hands of Old Verulanians

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