LACK LUSTRE ROCHFORD PAY THE PRICE

It was just one of those days for a strangely out of salts Rochford team that were missing that usual spark which was fatal against a Romford outfit that were totally fired up for this encounter.

Having to play on a narrow pitch due to the regular first team one deemed unplayable due to it being partly waterlogged did not help their cause and the home side took full advantage and attacked their guests with gusto and were ten points up within ten minutes through a penalty kick and a converted try.

Rochford had hardly touched the ball at this stage but defended well to keep Romford at bay and gradually began to attack themselves and pin back their lively opponents with Tom Ashton finding space and distance with long racking kicks.

The visitors were rewarded with an Ashton penalty kick to reduce the arrears and the score remainder the same up to half time.

Rochford’s lineout was always provided a good supply of ball with Sam Tape and George Chipper doing particularly well.The Rochford set scrum worked under pressure from the large and experienced Romford eight and the loose ball was a lottery with handling errors from both sides slowing things down.

The best chance of a further first half score fell to Rochford when, after a sustained period of pressure Bill Ellis appeared to have gone over for a try but it was disallowed by the referee as being just short of the line.

Rochford needed to go up a gear in the second session and take the game to the home side to get their speedy backs into space but they were unable to do so.

A great deal of credit must go to Romford who played the wet conditions better and stuck to an effective game plan which disrupted Rochford ball at sauce and drove up the field through their strong and competitive forwards.

When Rochford did attack they looked dangerous and created a number of chances but the ball did not stick in hands at crucial times and good defensive work by Romford frustrated them into errors.

Centre Ashton had to leave the field through injury which was another set back for the boys in black but replacement Michael Stemp soon showed his power making some forceful runs and Robert Prior filling in the outside centre position applied himself well to the difficult task.

Two penalty kicks from Romford’s live wire scrum half and a try from their no 8 put them into a 21 -3 lead going into the last quarter and Rochford appeared to be struggling against the odds.

Even when not on their game this Rochford side never give up and late into this entertaining contest they made a final effort.

A period of ferocious play pushed the home team back on their line and Stemp finished off a fine piece of rugby to go over for an unconverted try.

Shortly after that with time rapidly running out another fast attack from a desperate Rochford saw flanker James Needham dive over in the corner for a try to bring them within eight points of Romford’s score but the resulting unsuccessful conversion was to far out to allow Rochford the consolation of a losing bonus point.

It was Romford’s day and it has to be said they deserved their victory and it must have felt like sweet revenge for the narrow defeat they suffered earlier in the season.

As I said it was one of those days and the boys will have to put their disappointments behind them and apply themselves to the task ahead.

They can look forward to the short trip to Canvey next week where they will have the opportunity to bounce back again.

There is still a great deal of good winning rugby to come from this team and they have had the wake up call they needed to ensure this will happen.