Stortford started the game strongly and dominated most of the first half, based on a powerful driving game and some excellent ball retention in tricky conditions, with Dec Caulfield, Dan Leo and Baxter Wilson prominent. OEs showed great determination in defence and, although keeping their try-line intact for over half an hour, were forced to concede a succession of penalties, with George Cullen converting 3 kicks at goal after 10, 15 and 25 minutes. Cullen at 10 and Jack Scantlebury at 12 were particularly instrumental in maintaining the pressure exerted by their forwards, thus depriving the home side of possession for prolonged periods. OEs' though showed their teeth after 27 minutes, when they quickly seized on a loose ball from the restart, resulting from a moment's confusion between two potential Stortford catchers and immediately got in behind the visitors' defence to score an unconverted try out wide. Stortford quickly forced the opposition onto the back foot again and a sniping run by Nick Hankin took play into the home 22, where the side ran patiently through multiple phases for Will Roberts eventually to be driven over for a try close to the posts on 33 minutes, giving Cullen another 2 points and stretching the lead to 5-16. OEs again took advantage of a Stortford handling mistake shortly thereafter and a pinpoint, flat pass from flyhalf, Joe Carlisle produced a clean break and, although Stortford's cover defence snuffed out the immediate threat, they were forced backwards towards their own line and, when Cameron Ives blatantly stepped in from an offside position well inside his own 22 (earning a yellow card), the home side went for touch and drove the resultant lineout over the line for a second unconverted try on 37 minutes. Having scored tries from virtually their only two decent pieces of possession, OEs ended the half on a high, narrowing the halftime deficit to a mere 3 points with a penalty goal to Carlisle in injury time, after the marginally stronger home scrum had forced a penalty.

Stortford, nevertheless picked up after the restart, where they had been for most of the first half and, despite being down to 14 men, dominated possession and territory to see out the remainder of Ives' sin bin period and then almost immediately stretch their lead to 6 points with a another Cullen penalty. The game then became progressively more fragmented, with both sides making handling mistakes, as two strong defences set the tone. The home side did come more into the game in the middle of the half as, once again they threatened to capitalise on Stortford errors. This led to a period of concerted pressure on the visitors' line, but the swarming defence held firm and was finally rewarded, as the OEs pack were penalised right under Stortford's posts, when a couple of forwards worked their way in front of the ball carrier, as a maul drove at the line on 27 minutes. A converted try would still have been enough to turn the result around and, with two powerful try-scoring wingers in the OEs' armoury, Stortford had to stay very tight in defence, which they managed to do, despite losing Jack Scantlebury and Cameron Ives to late injuries. By now, though, Stortford's pack, with Rory Young and Lewis Brunger on as replacement props for Tom McCrone and Will Roberts, who had both put in great stints, had established an edge in the scrums and this helped the side to see out the final minutes by running through some solid phases to ensure that the home side had no crucial counter-attacking chances.

As was reported last week, tougher challenges lie ahead - starting with next week's home encounter against title contenders, Plymouth Albion - but let's enjoy our current status as 27th highest placed team in England!