In their match against Fullerians, Colchester for the second-week running didn’t get into their full stride until the second half. Eventually, through dogged determination, they used their superior fitness to wear down their opponents to claim a bonus point victory by 7 tries to 2.

The squad was mainly unchanged except for the inclusion of centre Joe Flexman and full back Harry Barton. They were led by flanker Danny Whiteman as normal captain Liam Pickett didn’t come off the bench until the second half.

Fullerians kicked off into the crosswind and the ball was gathered by scrum-half Brett Cutbush, who linked well with his backs as indeed he did throughout the game. Shortly after this his half-back partner, David Higgins, kicked a penalty into touch in the corner and man of the match Dan Brennan threw accurately to lock Ollie White and the Blacks surged forward to win a scrum in the process; the pack shoved their way over the try line for number 8 Brock Price to score the first try. Higgins converted this score, the first of his five conversions.

Fullerians restarted and a characteristic charge by flanker Oly Pickett brought the ball back into Fullerians half but, unfortunately, a fellow forward’s pass was intercepted by an alert opponent who ran back to score an unconverted try.

Coach Lee Soper’s tactic of wearing down the hosts in the first half started to pay off as the pack dominated the set pieces, giving plenty of ball to the fast running backs putting extreme physical pressure on the hosts. Eventually, wing James Crozier kicked over the defence for outside centre Joe Beckett to chase and score under the posts making it 5-14 at halftime.

Damien Brambley replaced Beckett after the interval and David Higgins restarted the game. Fullerians came back into Colchester’s half and swift passing by their players put their right-wing over for an unconverted try.

This set back stung Colchester into action and they started to rung rings around Fullerians’ defence. In the next 15 minutes, Bramley used his electric pace to score twice as Colchester pulled away from their flagging opponents to lead 10-26. By this time Liam Pickett and prop Jerome Awesu had joined the fray, upping the momentum of the forwards. Soon Colchester had a scrum close to Fullerians’ line and the pack drove forward for James Mitchell to claim the fifth try. Soper then rested him and he was replaced by his brother Alex to resume the good work in the front row.

From the restart Colchester again pressed forward, won a line out in Fullerians’ half with hooker Brennan linking well with jumper Alex Burman; the ball was moved into open space for Whiteman to sprint over for a try and put the visitors 10-40 in the lead.

Not long after this the hosts lost a man to a yellow card for a high tackle. Then Colchester were awarded a penalty try when the defenders pulled down a driving line-out. This was the final score of this pulsating match consolidating Colchester’s second place in the league.

Steve Whiteman