Colchester suffered a cruel twist of fate to lose this game with the last move of the match to visitors Sutton and Epsom in a ding-dong thriller where the lead change hands many times, enthralling the large Mill Road crowd that included England RFU President Peter Baines.

A committed team performance earned Colchester a consolation four try bonus plus a losing bonus point. Home debutant Te Albert impressed with strong running and tackling at centre, wing James Crozier adding sixteen points with a try, penalty and four conversions. However, the pressure of seeking their second win of the season forced errors that conceded possession and points for the home side.

Sutton and Epsom worked hard to compete throughout, their never-say-die attitude earning an extra four try bonus point. Fullback Stefan Cooksammy bagged a brace of tries, the pack disrupting home scrums in a tight but fairly contested game.

Early Colchester pressure forced the visitors into conceding a penalty, Crozier’s conversion opening the scoring. Sutton and Epsom replied with a lineout catch-and-drive try from their pack to take the lead. Sutton tried to force the game but spilled ball on the Colchester 22 was skilfully plucked from the floor at speed by Brandon Fanolua to launch a counterattack and release Crozier to race in from fifty metres he then converted.

Sutton and Epsom replied with a series of attacks, moving the ball out of the tackle culminating in a try for wing James Faaatuatu to level the scores. A poor Colchester clearance kick resulted in a lineout from which No. 8 Matt Whitaker ran in a try to put the visitors in front. Tit-for-tat scoring continued when Colchester’s dynamo flanker Danny Whiteman chased a kick down the wing and had the vision to loft the ball infield for scrumhalf Matt Wadling to grab a try, Crozier’s conversion levelling the halftime score 17-17.

Starting the second half strongly, Colchester regained the lead after sustained pressure took play into the visitor’s 22. Speed and dancing feet took Crozier past three tackles to link with Fanolua who zipped over for a try. Another scoring opportunity following Damien Brambley’s break and link to skipper Liam PIckett but was then lost to a knock on. Sutton and Epsom used the let off to move out of their half, safe handling and hard running resulting in Cooksammy’s first try.

Trying too hard resulted in Colchester conceding a series of penalties, Epson scrumhalf Steve Munford converting two for a 24-30 lead with five minutes remaining. Colchester showed fighting spirit with a series of drives that took the team to a five metre lineout from which their hard working pack set the position for prop Jerone Awaesu to charge over for a try Crozier converted for the 31:30 lead with.

The cheers of the home supporters were still ringing as Sutton and Epsom regained the kick off, a series of forward drives drawing in Colchester’s defence before Cooksammy’s last gasp overlap try broke Colchester hearts, Munford’s conversion still aloft when the referee’s whistle ended the game.

By Gary Griffiths