Colchester 1st XV 24 | 15 Amersham & Chiltern

Colchester gained their fourth win in succession this season overcoming Chiltern in a hard-fought home game moving them up to second place in the league.

Inspired by the example of men-of-the-match hooker Charlie Thorogood and flanker Oly Pickett the men in Black matched the visitors in the first half, had a purple patch just after the interval when they scored twice and spent the rest of the game keeping the visitors at bay.

This victory meant that Colchester have leapfrogged next week's opponents Southend who lost to Eton Manor in what is turning out to be a very competitive league. Credit must go to scrum-half and captain for the day Brett Cutbush who put immense pressure on his opposite number Ben Dugdale containing this skilful player throughout the game.

Chiltern kicked off with the wind at their backs and soon their full-back Jack Kenyon converted a penalty. After ten minutes Colchester's fullback James Crozier replied with a penalty of his own beginning what was to be a peerless kicking display.

Chiltern came back at the hosts and worked their way into the Blacks' half and, after a series of scrums, were awarded a penalty try putting them back in the lead at 3-10.

Then came the best try of the game when fly-half David Higgins kicked the ball into touch on Chiltern's 22 line. The lineout ball was caught cleanly and driven forward before being moved swiftly along the backs to right-wing Sean Bundy who galloped through the defence to score by the posts levelling the score 10-10. Apart from Chiltern's lock Joshua Finch being yellow-carded for a dangerous tackle that was the end of the first half action.

When the game resumed Colchester's Cutbush and Higgins made full use of the following wind raining kicks down on the visitors' back three players. Good follow-up work by flankers Oly Pickett and Freddie Skovly saw them score two good tries in quick succession putting Colchester well ahead 24 points to 10.

Fortunes changed after this when first centre Ben Murphy came off with an injury to be replaced by Harvey Skinner and then Slovly made way for Ollie White who subsequently also got injured. This team disruption was added to when Thorogood was yellow-carded and had to take ten minutes’ rest.

Chiltern made the most of this confusion and pressed forward earning a lineout in Colchester's half. An effective catch and drive enabled them to move the ball along their backs to their right-wing Angus Pollard who scored an unconverted try in the corner.

In the last part of the match, Chiltern tried desperately to level the scores. They threw everything at Colchester but, despite being camped in the Black's red zone for a long time, could not turn pressure into points. The Black defensive line held and there was great relief from the home supporters when eventually the half-backs kicked the ball out of harm's way to end this exciting match.

Steve Whiteman