Colchester RFC 18 East Grinstead 17

This match had a sombre start with serving soldiers briefing a packed clubhouse on the significance of Remembrance Sunday. After a minute’s silence before kick off the sudden appearance of strong diagonal wind and rain would test Colchester’s ability to adapt their running game to winter conditions.

It was a tentative first quarter with both teams testing each other to identify strengths and weaknesses. Colchester’s front row of Awesu, Brennan and Mitchell coped well with large opponents and forward pressure saw the home team open the scoring with a well taken drop goal by Higgins. But Grinstead were patient and worked a converted try under the posts after thirty minutes. Both teams were evenly matched but another try at the very end of the first half gave the visitors a worryingly large 3-14 advantage.

If home supporters were worried that this presaged an even bigger score in the second half they were in for a pleasant surprise. Grinstead seemed complacent and the home team were much quicker in thought and action and a poor visitor line out allowed captain Liam Pickett to drive over near the right touch after just ten minutes. Higgins converted well to bring the scores to 10-14.

Colchester were now playing with real conviction and the towering boot of Higgins frequently made them forty or fifty metres down the right touch. Another Higgins penalty into the howling wind brought the home team to within a point with just twenty minutes to go.

Grinstead looked shell-shocked at this point and a quick break by scrum half Brett Cutbush and quick hands from Smith and Brambley created space for Jaid Wiltshire to score wide on the left to give an 18-14 advantage.

Grinstead were now desperate but had no way to unlock a tenacious Colchester defence of which Whiteman, White and Picketts were outstanding. They were eventually awarded a penalty which they converted but Colchester held on to win a well-deserved victory.

This was the Colchester’s first victory against a well experienced team and one which many said afterwards was possibly the 1st XV’s greatest ever achievement. The fact that thirty of the thirty six players in the 1st XV squad had come through the youth section and four out of five teams won on the day was perhaps equally impressive.