The home team started strongly and, but for two borderline offside decisions, could have had 2 tries within the first 13 minutes, with Nick Hankin's outstanding efforts going unrewarded. Undeterred, though Stortford maintained the pressure and went ahead after a quarter of an hour, when winger, Jono Child crashed over for a try right by the touchline from a long pass from flyhalf, Tom Coleman. Coleman's great conversion attempt unluckily bounced back off the crossbar. A poor kick and chase out of defence by the home side then put Southend on the attack and a penalty at a Stortford scrum gave visiting flyhalf, Brad Burr an easy three points after 22 minutes. The home side flew straight back onto the offensive, though and great interplay between Sam Winter, Hankin and Mike Gallagher saw the winger in for an excellent team try on 25 minutes, with Coleman's conversion taking the score to 12-3. The visitors came fighting back and, despite some strong defending, Southend pressure forced a penalty at the breakdown, but Burr missed an easy kick. On 36 minutes.though, another penalty was awarded in a similarly kickable position and this time Burr made no mistake to narrow the gap to 6 points. A yellow card at the same incident against Stortford's Richard Gill for an accumulation of team offences poured salt in the wound but, in the event did not prove to be decisive. Indeed, it was the home side that registered the next score, when they took full advantage of a penalty awarded at a scrum inside the Southend 22 to go for touch and an early break off the back of the resultant maul by Steve Ball created room for prop, Sean Edwards to crash over for a try. Coleman's conversion was the final action of the half, taking the score to 19-6.

Still short-handed at the start of the second half, Stortford began on the front foot and within 5 minutes of the restart extended their lead to 20 points. The try went to scurmhalf, Arran Mahoney, who dummied his way over after another spell of impressive interpassing and offloading by the team had stretched the visitors' defence. Coleman added the 2 points. Stortford's forwards were now enjoying a clear advantage over their opposition at the set piece, adding to the dominance that the side's running rugby was giving them. Twenty minutes into the half, Gallagher's second try effectively closed out the game, as he gathered and touched down in one movement a pinpoint crosskick from centre, Marcus Cattell, following a great home scrum win against the head. Coleman added an excellent conversion from the touchline to take the score to 33-6. Southend bounced straight back via a tremendous tap back from the restart kick by Sam Fombo, which led to a penalty at the breakdown. A kick for touch produced a 5 metre lineout and Stortford were caught completely cold by a clever short throw-in, giving Harry Hudson a clear route to the line to take the score to 33-11. The home side then had to withstand an extended period of further pressure from Southend, who attacked hard through both forwards and backs, but Stortford's defence proved up to the challenge. Eventually, their commitment to running the ball out of defence was rewarded, when a tremendous break and run from the base of a ruck by Tom Banks (on for Mahoney at scrumhalf).took his side deep into the Southend half and it was Banks himself that touched down after several great tackles by the visitors were overcome by tremendous offloading and support play by the Stortford team. Coleman's conversion took the final score to 40-11.

This convincing win takes Stortford ahead of Taunton into third place in the league and sends our team to Cambridge next week in great heart, after a very strong 80 minutes of rugby. Our opponents will themselves be boosted by a good away win today, so a tough pre-Christmas contest can be expected.

The final thoughts of the day, though go to Bill Dommett and his family. All at the Club are fervently hoping that Bill will be back with us soon, after he collapsed on the touchline today.