Games between Colchester and Southend have a tendency to be hotly contested but this game proved to be perhaps the most thrilling of them all; settled by the final kick of the game - a James Crozier penalty that succeeded in silencing the home crowd at Warners Bridge. Crozier's kicking and composure under pressure earned him another Man of the Match award; his place kicking in these tight games has been absolutely fundamental to our success this season. The win puts us in joint second place, just a few points behind North Walsham who also have a 100% record but have managed to secure more bonus points. Eton Manor are also emerging as a real threat, they are tied alongside us on 21 points. Manor are also unbeaten, but shared the points earlier in the season at Amersham and Chiltern in a 19-19 draw.

Southend are clearly a different side from the one that slid towards the middle of the London North 1 table last season; they have recruited well and their back line, led by the dangerous Harry Branch, will undoubtedly score plenty of tries this season. In addition to the energetic Harry Branch, new signings fly half Ben Lloyd and full back Werner Nell were a constant threat, especially when given time and space under the high ball. Despite our superb start where the Saxons were forced into a raft of early errors, the home side found their feet and dominated large parts of the opening half. However, the second half saw a reversal of fortunes as tired legs and fatigue set in Southend began to concede more and more penalties, and it was their second half penalty count that enabled our boys to overcome a 21-13 deficit going into the final 10 minutes of the game. Furthermore, well timed replacements increased the tempo and intensity at just the right time. All 18 members of the squad played their part in what was our best performance of the season so far. It was a mature performance from our side, and a remarkable one considering that there were five eighteen year olds in the side.

From my perspective the developing blend of youth and experience is something pretty special. The likes of Harvey Skinner, Sean Bundy, Jamie Light and the Jeffery brothers bring an energy and spirit to the side - they chase down every ball and in their eyes there's no such thing as a lost cause. The experience was typified by James Crozier who despite the pressure calmly slotted home the three points that secured the win. The return of James Mitchell was also a reassuring sight. Not only did James bring solidity to the front row, he also proved to be an irresistible force with the ball in hand, crashing over the line for a second half try, carrying most of the Southend pack with him! It was noticeable that both Callum and Lewis Jeffery benefitted from Mitchell's presence; Lewis started the game at loose head prop and put in an incredibly mature and assured performance in the pressure cooker of an Essex derby - incredible for an 18-year old prop in his first full season of senior rugby.

The timing and application of our second half replacements could not have been better. Firstly, five minutes into the second half, Jamie Miller entered the fray and made an immediate impact. Miller carried aggressively and with a real sense of purpose; his catch and reset towards the end of the game in front of Southend's "hellfire corner" was an outstanding piece of skill and the perfect blend of power and precision. On the hour Jamie Murray came into scrum half and Brett Cutbush switched to full-back. This brought another playmaker onto the field and Murray's fresh legs and energy took advantage of the flagging Southend pack; lifting the tempo at a time when the home side were looking to close out the game. The final replacement saw Callum Jeffrey replace his twin brother Lewis with ten minutes remaining. Callum provided our side with an extra ball carrier and he also succeeded in locking out our scrummage for the final assault on the Southend lines. In complete contrast, Southend's bench failed to make an impression on the game and when their veteran centre Chris Vaughan departed the field midway through the second half, our midfield began to take liberties with the Southend defence. Early in the game we identified Southend's front row and their lack of mobility as a major weakness. Their lack of mobility meant that they were often left to "recover" in key midfield defensive positions and sure enough it was the Southend tight head prop, Joel Armitage whose tired attempt at a tackle turned into a neck high 'clothes line' on Jamie Murray, that led to our final and crucial penalty.

The centre pair of Nick Flexman and Jamie Light made some vital contributions. After making a return to rugby following a four year break, Flexman has impressed everyone with his skill set and leadership qualities. We knew he would need game time to build up to full match fitness, so after a few games in the Ravens we felt Southend (his former club) was the perfect stage for his 1st XV re-debut and he did not disappoint as he put in a strong, committed display. Jamie Light returned to the side and defended superbly; he also made initiated a key turnover late in the game that led to a crucial penalty - these small, but significant contributions are the difference between winning and losing.

Positively, despite the improved performance, I still have the feeling that there is more to come from our side. When we get it "right" we look a couple of steps ahead of our opposition and all they can do is chase shadows - we need to to just get it "right" more often and for sustained periods of the game. There's no doubt about it however, we continue to move in the right direction. Our next opponents at Mill road are Ruislip RFC. Ruislip have been going through a difficult period having lost all five games so far this season. Towards the end of last season ruislip put together some excellent results and did well to avoid relegation with a late charge.

The Ravens were also at Warners Bridge taking on the Southend Priors (2nd XV). They looked to be on the verge of taking the points when the home responded in the last few minutes to take the win. Nevertheless, it was an excellent performance from our boys and a definite step in the right direction. The Ravens back division had the measure of their opponents and with players of the quality of Matt Barnes, George Liversidge and Jordan Milburn they always looked dangerous. Jon Vine deserves a special mention - Jon did an incredible job at No.8, managing the Ravens scrum against a very robust Southend pack. Jon has played in a different position nearly every single week and never lets anyone down; he is a credit to the game and a great clubman.

The A XV continued their winning start to the season with a 10-55 win over Braintree 2's. Braintree are notoriously difficult to beat at home so this was a fabulous result. The A's start is made even more impressive by the fact that they have played three of their four game away from home. Their next game is at Mill Road when Stowmarket 2's are the visitors on 19th October.