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Saturday preview: Award-winning Colchester face biggest match of the year
Doug Boulton15 Feb 2024 - 10:51
By Edward Marriage
After an award-winning January, Colchester’s first team are looking to make it a “fabulous February” as they continue their push for promotion.
The Blacks’ four wins from four in January saw them honoured with the Rugby Football Union’s level 5 team of the month award, but their biggest challenge of the year so far comes on Saturday.
Colchester are at home to Harpenden, kick-off 3pm. The Hertfordshire side are fourth in the table and are one of only two teams to beat The Blacks this season.
That 27-26 defeat for Colchester continued a trend of remarkably close encounters between the old rivals. Last season Harpenden beat Colchester 25-24 at home while the match at Raven Park ended in a 24-24 draw.
Harpenden are unbeaten since the middle of December and, like Colchester, had last weekend off. On the rest weekend, Sudbury comfortably beat Westcliff in their rearranged game and are now 14 points behind Colchester. The Suffolk side are home to Rochford on Saturday.
This is the penultimate home match of the season for the first team, and with no 6 Nations matches to distract attention we need the biggest crowd of the campaign to come to the sports park to cheer along the lads!
It’s a big weekend for Colchester 2s as well, as the table-topping Ravens travel to mid-table Thurston. The Ravens are 13 points clear at the top of Counties 2, but the teams in second and third places – Newmarket and Bedford Athletic – have both played a game fewer.
Kick-off at the Suffolk side is 2pm, and the lads would certainly welcome your support.
The 3s are in action against Thurston 2s at Raven Park (kick-off 2pm) while the 4s are away to Braintree 2s (also 2pm).
The season is rushing towards the business end, and before long it’ll be time to get out the flannels and cricket bat, so whether you’re playing or supporting, please have a great weekend and…Come on Col!
The Blacks’ four wins from four in January saw them honoured with the Rugby Football Union’s level 5 team of the month award, but their biggest challenge of the year so far comes on Saturday.
Colchester are at home to Harpenden, kick-off 3pm. The Hertfordshire side are fourth in the table and are one of only two teams to beat The Blacks this season.
That 27-26 defeat for Colchester continued a trend of remarkably close encounters between the old rivals. Last season Harpenden beat Colchester 25-24 at home while the match at Raven Park ended in a 24-24 draw.
Harpenden are unbeaten since the middle of December and, like Colchester, had last weekend off. On the rest weekend, Sudbury comfortably beat Westcliff in their rearranged game and are now 14 points behind Colchester. The Suffolk side are home to Rochford on Saturday.
This is the penultimate home match of the season for the first team, and with no 6 Nations matches to distract attention we need the biggest crowd of the campaign to come to the sports park to cheer along the lads!
It’s a big weekend for Colchester 2s as well, as the table-topping Ravens travel to mid-table Thurston. The Ravens are 13 points clear at the top of Counties 2, but the teams in second and third places – Newmarket and Bedford Athletic – have both played a game fewer.
Kick-off at the Suffolk side is 2pm, and the lads would certainly welcome your support.
The 3s are in action against Thurston 2s at Raven Park (kick-off 2pm) while the 4s are away to Braintree 2s (also 2pm).
The season is rushing towards the business end, and before long it’ll be time to get out the flannels and cricket bat, so whether you’re playing or supporting, please have a great weekend and…Come on Col!
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