Colchester battled through a blizzard to win against a hardy North Walsham team to stay top of the league in a game afflicted by snow and freezing rain. The blanket of snow forced referee Gavin Scott to stop the game for ten minutes in the first half whilst snow was brushed clear to reveal the white line markings on the Mill Road pitch. Good King Wenceslas was even rumoured to have joined the 189 luncheon visitors and hundreds of spectators at the game as the snow lay deep and crisp and even.

The Norfolk visitors, nicknamed “the Vikings”, adapted to the Scandinavian weather conditions and competed throughout in a confidence boosting performance to ease the memory of their 26 – 61 home defeat by a fast moving Colchester team in a game played on a dry, firm pitch earlier in the season. Both teams struggled in the adverse conditions with handling errors from frozen fingers and a slippery ball whilst the greasy surface made changing direction difficult for runners. Short passes and forward rumbles inevitably dominated play.

Colchester controlled most of the game, their marauding forwards and cavalier backs taking play to North Walsham but possession and position was not turned into points. Walsham mounted a robust, well organised defence and counter attacked with enthusiasm to occasionally threaten the Colchester line.

With the blizzard raging Colchester started well and attacked close to the Walsham line, wing Dave Brennan coming close to a try after five minutes of play but suffered a leg injury in the process, Joe Flexman replacing him. Colchester continued to press for the first quarter. Centre Matt Smith broke to within a metre of the line but Colchester knocked on at the resulting ruck. At the ensuing scrum the Colchester forwards drove the capable Walsham pack backwards, disrupting and turning over possession for prop James Mitchell to plough over for a try under the posts, flyhalf David Higgins adding the conversion for a 7-0 lead on 25 minutes.

The break to sweeping the snow from the lines then disrupted play, the snowstorm moving on leaving a freezing drizzle in its wake when play resumed. Colchester again closed to the Walsham line, Ollie and Liam Pickett, Harry Gozzett and Graeme Hay prominent in the forward pick and go drives, Danny Whiteman driving the Walsham No. 8 over his own line with the ball. But Walsham’s staunch defence and Colchester fumbles and offsides frustrated the hosts’ scoring opportunities before halftime.

Colchester forced Walsham onto the defensive for the next quarter. Wing James Crozier came close, linking with fullback Bret Cutbush on a couple of attacks which may have succeeded on a firmer surface. Skipper Calum Irvine and Hay drove to within a metre of the Walsham tryline, prop Joe McMillan unluckily knocking on grounding the ball over the Walsham tryline.

North Walsham defended in depth before moving upfield, aided by Colchester ill-discipline. Fullback Rhys Davies-Horne added a long distance penalty to put the visitors on the scoreboard before being yellow carded for preventing early release as Colchester mounted another threatening attack, Higgins converting the penalty for 10-3.

Competing to the end, Walsham forced Colchester to defend before they broke to midfield where the contest ended. Walsham celebrated a losing bonus point and whilst Colchester lacked the bonus point they hoped for in this snow afflicted win, they nevertheless continue to top the league.