Westcliff 13 Bishop's Stortford 1st XV 19

Once again, Stortford's flowing style of rugby failed to click in other than brief bursts and it took a great degree of determination - aided, certainly in the early stages by some poor lineout play by the home team - to win through. It was, in fact, Westcliff who first threatened to score, when after 7 minutes their very strong and elusive openside flanker, Bryn Hudson eluded a number of fairly weak Stortford attempts to tackle and it took a great cover tackle from scrum half, Tom Banks to save a try. Unfortunately in making the tackle, Banks took a heavy blow above his eye and had to leave the field as it rapidly closed, to be replaced by Sam Whiffen. It still took an excllenet clean lineout take by Mark McCraith at a lineout close to the Stortford line to snuff out the danger. Stortford then had the better of a series of mostly midfield exchanges, even though they were playing into a stiffish breeze. They threatened decisive breaks only twice though, once being frustrated by an excellent cover tackle on winger, Nick Harris after he was given space by an excellent flat miss-pass from Stocker and then when, with two free men outside, a backrow player tried to run through the last defender, when a step inside and pass would have almost certainly brought a try under the posts to round off the best move of the game. A crucial swing in fortunes occurred some 22 minutes into the game, however, when a Westcliff centre was yellow-carded for a cynical and late body-check after a Stortford player had kicked out of defence. Stortford took advantage of the extra man, firstly to force an eminently kickable penalty for not releasing at the tackle, but spurned the three points in favour of a scrum. This opportunity was unfortunately wasted when a free kick was conceded at the scrum for early engagement, but a first score was finally registered 26 minutes into the game, when hooker, Richie McMillan was driven over for a try from a lineout some 8 metres out, following another Westcliff penalty for not releasing at the breakdown. Tom Coleman made an excellent conversion from out wide. Stortford continued to have the better of possession and territory but it was the home side that registered the next score, close to the end of the first half. Flanker, Hudson, once again eluded a number of ineffectual Stortford tackles to make some 30 metres and, when he was finally stopped only feet short of the Stortford line, quick ball from the breakdown allowed lively scrumhalf, Ben Jones to dive over for a try. Westcliff's normally reliable kicker, Ben McKeith could not make the conversion, leaving the halftime score at 5-7.

The first scoring chance of the second period again went to the home side when, having run back a poor Stortford clearance kick, they forced a penalty for not rolling away after a tackle. Fortunately from Stortford's point of view, a very kickable goal attempt was again missed from close quarters. Matters appeared to have moved decisively in Westcliff's favour after 12 minutes, when Stortford's winger, Wayne Child was yellow-carded for what was deemed to have been a late/dangerous challenge, even though he was in the air, having got a hand to the ball in attempting to charge down a kick, when he collided with the home player. It was testament to the commitment of the remaining 14 players, though that Stortford continued to enjoy the better of possession and territory and they were able, in fact to widen their lead with offside penalties to Coleman after 16 and 21 minutes, as Westcliff's defence came under increasing pressure. Twenty three minutes into the half, though the home side finally converted a penalty for a breakdown offence, as Stortford - not for the first time - spurned an opportunity to use the elements to kick out of their own territory. The 8 point margin was soon restored, however, when, after 28 minutes, Coleman again punished another breakdown offence by the home side. Six minutes later and a further 3 points were added by Coleman from yet another penalty at a breakdown. It was as well that this 11 point cushion had been built up, since yellow cards for Stortford's flanker, Dave Aldam and centre, Jonno Child within 4 minutes of each other left them with only 13 men for the last five minutes of the game. The first was effectively a "team yellow", when Aldam was deemed to have killed the ball under the Stortford posts after previous penalties had been conceded during a period of frantic Westcliff pressure. The second was more clearcut, as Child was dismissed for tackling a home player within a yard of a quick penalty having been taken. Once again, Stortford's remaining players showed tremendous fighting spirit in repelling wave after wave of Westcliff assaults on their line but, after 5 minutes of concerted pressure the defence was finally overstretched and left winger, Buster Reynolds was able to run in a try. The conversion attempt was missed in what was the final act of the game, leaving Stortford 13-19 winners.

This hard-fought, record-breaking win was roundly celebrated after the final whistle - and well into the night! - and with this great achievement now tucked away, maybe a bit of pressure will have been lifted from the players' shoulders, enabling them to relax and get back to their flowing, pre-freeze rugby.