Westcombe Park, visiting from Kent, got ahead in this exciting match and, try as they might, Colchester couldn’t catch them up with Park defeating the Blacks by six tries to three.

Colchester were without three of their key players – Matt Smith, Ollie Pickett and Danny Whiteman –and this made a crucial difference when up against a side four places above them in the league. Indeed Park played a tight and controlled game with some of the many spectators stating that they were the best side yet to visit Mill Road this season. Their fly half, James Cameron, had a particularly fine kicking game, converting five out of six tries in the blustery conditions adding ten points to their overall score.

Park kicked off against the wind and soon raced into the lead with a try by centre Ant Hitchcock that Cameron converted. Colchester came back at the visitors, with the forwards impressive in the scrums. Soon they were awarded a penalty for an opponent not rolling away and No 10 David Higgins duly converted to make it 3-7.

The game ebbed and flowed with Parks’ centres looking particularly dangerous. Unfortunately for Colchester lock Ben Kelland received a yellow card for a dangerous tackle so that the hosts were down to fourteen men for ten minutes. During this time the visitors scored twice through fullback Frankie Neale and right winger Tommy Grey which put them 3-19 ahead. Colchester’s woes were compounded when No 8 Charles Marsden was injured and had to be replaced by Robert Heath. However the Blacks took heart when Kelland returned and they got a score of their own, following excellent running by right wing Owen Herbert who offloaded to fullback Damien Brambley who scored a converted try, bringing the scores closer at 10-19.

Despite the best efforts of centres Calum Irvine and debutant Connor O’Reilly, Park’s Dave Bonner broke through and claimed the visitor’s bonus point fourth try. Colchester soon replied when Heath bust through an opposition lineout to score a good try.

The coaches exchanged the Blacks’ hookers at halftime and later centre Tom Miller came on for Irvine. Park’s No 18 was then yellow carded for stamping and suddenly, once again, things looked better for the hosts. Left winger James Crozier did a neat kick and chase, following Colchester’s pack stealing a scrum and scrum half Brett Cutbush was on hand to score.

In the dying moments of the game Park threw everything at the Blacks’ defence and eventually prop Matt Poole scored near the posts and the Kent side ran out victors by 20 point to 40.