Spring sunshine heralded 1000 points as Colchester reach the home strait in their quest for promotion. Their victory by ten tries to three over a game Old Priorians side, keeps the Blacks top of the table and they remain two points ahead of their promotion rivals Eton Manor with four fixtures left in what is proving to be an exciting climax to the season.
Wing Damien Brambley joined a strong squad and showed his array of skills when he came off the bench for the second half. Indeed it was a good day for both sides, wings as the dry conditions allowed the ball to be quickly passed along both back lines, for the visitors to claim three tries out wide, matched by the hosts right wing claiming a hat trick.
Playing against the wind and sun in the first half, Colchester took a while to adapt to the conditions and, after fifteen minutes, Old Priorians took the lead when their talented right wing converted a penalty.
This slight setback seemed to galvanise the visitors and, from the restart, they attacked the opposition working their way up the pitch through the trusty boot of fly half David Higgins. Centres Calum Irvine and Matt Smith probed the defence and eventually the Blacks earned a lineout just inside Old Priorians half. Liam Pickett leapt up to claim the ball and the whole pack rumbled all the way to the try line for hooker Charlie Thorogood to claim the visitors’ first try. Higgins converted giving Colchester a lead that they would not relinquish for the rest of the game.
With the ball being moved quickly along the back line by both sides it wasn’t long before both left wings claimed tries, James Crozier for Colchester and Oddi for Old Priorians.
The decisive period of the game came just before half time when the hosts lost two players in quick succession to yellow cards for a scrum infringement and a high tackle. With the opposition down to thirteen men Colchester seized the initiative to score three quick tries through No.8 Ollie Pickett, Crozier again and his opposite wing, Joe Flexman, who showed great pace to outstrip flailing defenders to score under the posts. Colchester now had a commanding 10 – 31 lead at half time.
At the interval hard-working flanker Danny Whiteman was replaced by Harry Gozzett and Brambley took Joe Flexman’s place. With the elements now in their favour Colchester upped their game with their forwards dominating the scrums and lineouts giving their speedy backs a plentiful supply of ball.
Following a superb tackle by centre Smith on his opposite number Colchester gained possession for Gozzett to run in a quick try. Not long after Thorogood linked with Gozzett to send fullback Brett Cutbush in for another.
Old Priorians tried to rally from the restart and their scrum half Will Clarke kicked high into the Black’s half but the ball was well fielded by Brambley, who weaved back through the home defence to put lock Graeme Hay in for another score.
Many teams would have crumbled at this onslaught but the hosts showed great character by working their way back up the pitch and moving the ball left for Oddi to claim his second try.
Skipper Irvine rallied his troops and Colchester raised their game once more with his fellow centre Smith finishing off two excellent moves to cap a fine performance with a brace of tries.
A late rally by Old Priorians and a third try for Oddi finished the game with the score at 20-64 earning Colchester a bonus point win.
Steve Whiteman CRFC