Westcombe Park RFC 36 Colchester 1st XV 14

Third in the league Westcombe Park proved to be too strong for Colchester and on a rainy day came out on top by five tries and a penalty to Colchester’s two converted tries.

Colchester kept in contact with the Kent side for much of the game but they felt the loss of their captain, Liam Pickett, when he had to leave the game through injury. Try as they may, they had no answer to the host’s catch and drive tactics from lineouts which lead to two of their second half tries.

Alfie Walsh stood in for injured prop Jerone Awesu and Rob Pickard replaced Ben Murphy on the flank. Also centre George Liversidge filled in for injured Te Albert. Combe kicked off but were kept at bay initially by the fine kicking of Black’s fly half David Higgins. It took a while for Colchester to sort out their lineout and before they did, Combe stole a ball at the throw in and launched centre Tom Gray who cut through the defence to score. Full back Frankie Neale kicked the first of five conversions.

There were several penalties against both sides and Higgins and his opposite number, Bradle Bateup, exchanged many long kicks. After 25 minutes of to and fro, Combe won a scrum but Black’s No 9 intercepted the pass between their half backs and ran the length of the pitch to scored a fine converted try under the posts putting the visitors level at 7-7. Combe’s heavier pack were getting the better of the scrums and, they won a scrum five metres out from Colchester’s line, worked the ball left for a back to knife through the defence for a score.

Not long after this success, Combe were dismayed to lose their scrum half for ten minutes having received a yellow card for killing the ball. As luck would have it, Colchester then had to replace Pickett, who aggravated an old shoulder injury. On came Joe Flexman who went on to have a storming game.

Just before half time Neale added a penalty to his rising tally. At the interval Alex Rayment replaced hooker Charlie Thorogood and continued the good lineout link with jumper Danny Whiteman. Ten minutes into the second half Bateup kicked to the corner and a successful Combe lineout saw the ball moved left for a score in the corner but Neale missed this conversion.
Shortly after this Combe scored again with a catch and drive try. The score was now 29-7 and Colchester were up against it especially as a deluge of rain prevented any free flowing rugby.

But the Blacks didn’t give up and were soon besieging Combe’s try line with Rayment and flanker Rob Pickard to the fore gaining the hard yards. Eventually this tactic paid off and Rayment claimed a score which Crozier converted.
The game was starting to get a bit niggly and no less than three yellow cards were handed out in the final quarter. Combe had the final say with a typical forward’s surge that led to the final try leaving the score at 36-14.

Steve Whiteman