MATCH REPORT DEFINITELY BY GRAHAM PRATT !

It was not enough in the end to gain the victory that would have been pleasing in front of a good crowd with many of our traveling supporters. Many chances were not taken and a lack of discipline during this fractious encounter did not help their cause.

Having said that the boys in black scored three excellent tries and could have won the game if fate and some better refereeing had allowed. Due credit to Woodford for grabbing their chances when they came and perhaps playing more sensibly when needed to do so.

Rochford got off to a bad start by almost watching the Woodford flanker glide through their defence in the first few minutes of the game to place the ball between the posts. The try was converted and Rochford had had their usual wake up call.

Woodford went further ahead with a penalty kick before the visitors responded and started to take the game to Woodford putting together some fast, flowing rugby to apply pressure and sure enough the home team were punished for their indiscretions.

Two well struck efforts from Tom Ashton reduced the arrears to four points but later in the half another Woodford penalty brought the score to 13-6 for the home side.

Rochford were finding it tough up front in the set scrums where the bigger and stronger pack continually disrupted the Rochford eight and turned over ball in the loose but the lineout worked well. Big Sam Tape dominated this area ably assisted by Murphy, Needham and Chipper who, also, showed plenty of fire in the loose play.

The second half did not start well for Rochford when Woodford went further ahead with another converted try as they took the opportunity of slack defence but Rochford were gradually gaining momentum and winning better ball which they used to good effect.

A wonderful piece of individual skill came from flanker James Needham when he picked up near his own twenty meter line and burst through to outpace and jink past the surprised Woodford defence to score under the post. A simple conversion from the in form Ashton put them, once again within striking distance at 13–20.

Streetwise Woodford knew where their strengths were in the forwards and they used them very effectively in conjunction with a good kicking stand off to force Rochford back onto their try line and from there drove over for a try to extend their lead.

Although there were a few flare up between the two sides the game, mostly,was of good quality and plenty of open play from both sides but particularly from the visitors who showed how much they have learned from being involved in this league.

Their fast and skillful ball handling was a joy to watch and Rochford athletic young forwards also got into the action with all front row of Scott Chivers, Tom Corbet and Josh Berry all very prominent in the loose play. Berry in the second half made some outstanding breaks and proved a thorn in Woodford’s side. The back row of Spencer, Needham and Chipper also looked sharp.

The next score was a beauty when young full back Nathan Barham finished off a delightful piece of running rugby to score and Ashton duly converted.

The match was finely balanced at 18–25 but time was ebbing away as play went into the last ten minutes.Rochford seemed to have the initiative but it was the home side that rallied and, again, took their chances when they came. Two tries in quick succession catching out the Rochford defence and which virtually wrapped the match up.

The last laugh was Rochford’s however as they gave the rather nervous home outfit with some more enterprising attacking rugby and another fine move was completed by substitute wing Lee Wiseman running over for an excellent try and the ever reliable Ashton to convert.

Unfortunately it was not quite enough on the day and although Rochford showed off their ball skills winning is not always down to that. Woodford, like other teams in this division, showed that discipline and making full use of chances when presented combined with tactical awareness are so important in getting results and Rochford need to learn this lesson.

The season has drawn to an end and the team can look back over this frustrating season of plenty of lows and some very good highs.

From a side that were floundering to get to grips with stronger opposition and found it difficult to adjust to the extra pace and physicality into the confident and skillful outfit they have become is all credit to themselves and the coaching staff.

They bear no resemblance to the team that set out at the beginning of this campaign but the damage had been done before Christmas and there was just too much distance to catch up on.

A great shame as the boys have shown that they can more than hold their own even with the best in the league and have so much more to offer.

Rochford Hundred, I am sure, will be back again very quickly. It is up to all of us to ensure that they do so.

Team:- Chivers, Corbet, Berry, Murphy, Tape, Spencer, Needham J, Chipper, Webb, Needham D, Stubbs, Ashton, Allen, Stewart, Barham. Subs: Dyer, Ellis, Wiseman.