SPENCER’S SPARKLE SPURS ROCHFORD !

This match started out as if it was going to be a repeat of their previous meeting earlier in the season especially when Saffron took a six point lead in the blinking of the eye. Rochford are made of sterner stuff these days and from what was a tight and frustrating encounter in the first half changed totally by the exceptional play of centre Darren Spencer in a few short minutes.
More about that later but the story of the first half, after the shock of conceding two quick penalties from the strong kicking Saffron Walden full back, was of Rochford domination of territory and ball without scoring more than the eight points. These came from a good try by full back Sam Barnes entering the line to finish off some well supported ball play and a penalty by Tom Ashton to sneak the home side back in front 8 – 6 at the break.
Saffron to their credit attacked with ball in hand when the opportunity arose and were always dangerous in Rochford’s half with such a robust kicker ready to take any advantage. This time round the boys in black were far more disciplined and purposeful to fall into that trap again.
The second half started with Saffron going ahead again with a unconverted try but that was as good as it got for them as wing Matt Barber, having a renascence in the first team, sped over to edged Rochford in front once more.
The real turning point came when centre Darren Spencer took the ball deep in own half and set about the opposition as he powered, fainted and outpace the lot to dive over in the corner. Perhaps the try of the season...Who knows? but certainly impressive. He then did it again from shorter distance from a slick attacking movement he decided not to pass out the ball but dummied and charged over for another fine try taking the defence with him.
These two tries seemed to knock the stuffing out off the visitors whose defence let them down badly and the floodgates opened with further tries from Andy Baker and George Chipper which was converted by Ashton. The whole second half was of Rochford putting together a quality of rugby that was a credit to them and their coaching staff and no more than their status at the top of a tough league demands of them to maintain momentum. The icing on the cake was a penalty try awarded late in the match which Aston duly converted from under the posts.
Very good individual performances from a number of players but the main factor was that it was an excellent team effort from a side that have been playing together now for the majority of the season and are starting to believe in themselves. A number of hard matches to come and plenty of self discipline and endeavour will be needed but it is well within their grasp to win this division and to move up into pastures new.

Team:- Chivers, McMahon, Berry, Tape, Stephenson, Barker, Baker (Stemp), Chipper, Forbes (Webb), Needham, Stewart, Spencer, Ashton, Barber, Barnes, Ansell.
Graham Pratt

Saffron Waldens Match report !
Despite several players unavailable or injured Walden travelled to top of the table Rochford in good heart knowing that the players turning up would give they’re all.
For a large part of the game the visitors looked as if they were capable of taking a shock victory but ran out of steam in the last quarter of the match leaving Rochford to take the victory with a score line that did not tell the story of the match.
Walden started the game with the slope and slight wind in the favour and soon harried Rochford into a mistake when they strayed offside and fullback Dave Philp slotted home a penalty from long range 0-3 2mins.
Walden continued to dominate this period of play and a few minutes later had forced Rochford into conceding another penalty when they killed the ball at a ruck and Philp stretched Walden’s lead to 6 points on the 10 min mark.
Rochford finally found their feet and put some good charging runs down the central channel and gained good ground. Walden in turn defended well and kept them out.
15 minutes into the game the home team sent a long kick out of defence and a good chase resulted in the clearance kick by the Walden fullback being charged down, the bounce went to the attacking team and they scored wide out. 5-6.
Both teams were trying to play expansive rugby on mostly good firm ground but the defences were on top for the rest of the half, although Walden conceded a penalty in front of the posts on the half hour mark leaving the half time score at 8-6.
The second half started and once again Walden came out fighting and soon were deep inside the Rochford half and quick ball from the base of the ruck was fed out to centre Paul Marshall who rounded his man and was tackled by the fullback only 10 mtres out. He popped the ball up out of the tackle to Andrew Lancaster, this week playing at centre who went over unopposed to give Walden the lead 8-11 on the 45th minute mark.
Rochford then regrouped and scored a well worked try in the corner when they created an overlap for the winger to score in the corner retaking the lead 13-11 50th minute.
Rochford started to look stronger and although Walden defended well for the next 15 minutes eventually the pressure told and captain Simon Chappell was sin binned for repeat team offences on the 65th minute and from the resulting penalty Rochford scored again stretching the lead to 18-11 on the 68th minute.
At this point Walden were only one score away but with the one man advantage and tiredness creeping in to Walden’s players suddenly Rochford started creating gaps and with everything going their way over the next 10 minutes they scored 3 unanswered tries, stretching the lead to 35-11. Then finally to cap it all Rochford were awarded a penalty try with 3 minutes to play when Walden’s defence were deemed all offside when Rochford took a quick penalty 10mtres out. 42-11.
Walden to their credit kept trying and nearly scored in the last play of the match.
As said at the start the players can be proud of their performance in the first three quarters of the match and despite the final score line they can take heart that a few more performances like that will see them win a few games between now and the end of the season..