TOP DOGS AT LAST !

It was one of those occasions that sets apart this sport of ours from many others. A meeting of old friends, youthful exuberance and families all together paying homage to their teams made this a special day for the Magnolia Road faithful and a fitting finale for their loyal support over the whole season.
The game itself was a fine example of the standard of the division and a good reflection on both teams.
After a rather nervous start by the home side and quickly going behind from a penalty kick resulting from early Thurrock pressure Rochford put together some scintillating rugby in this first half.
Make no mistake they were up against a quality Thurrock outfit who had recently found again the form that had made them one of the best sides in Essex over the years and they had come to Rochford to do business.
It is, therefore, to their great credit that in a first half of some first class rugby Rochford simply blew away their opponents.
Tom Ashton kicked his team level with a penalty shortly after and then hooker Brian McMahon finished off a fast flowing movement with a tremendous try in the corner that was met with rapturous response from the home supporters.
The set scrummage was a hard fought contest all afternoon as were the lineouts where Stephenson, Tape and all won plenty of good ball for scrum half James Forbes to distribute in his usual efficient and effective manner.
Next up that man Ashton who dived over for a second try and converted his effort well to put Rochford ahead 15 – 3. Rochford’s dominance at this stage denied Thurrock too much ball but when they did get their hands on it they showed pace and power in the centres and were a handful to subdue.
The visitors persistence to attack whenever the opportunity rose was rewarded by their strong running No.12 breaking through to score a good try which was duly converted and reduced the arrears to 15 – 10.
Rochford showed why they are sitting at the top of the pile by the way they responded. The whole team went into overdrive with some terrific work in the loose where the likes of Andy Baker, big Alan Barker and the ever youthful Matt Norris playing his final home match for the first team, combined to make life very difficult for the Thurrock eight. It must have been pleasing also for wing Greg Stubbs, a former Thurrock lad, who had a number of good piecing runs and was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet.
On the other wing Matt Stewart had more success as he scored a try after some exciting Rochford approach work to draw the home team further away and then finished off a blurring piece of inventive rugby through many hands until impressive prop Scott Chivers supported to slip a great ball to Stewart who obliged by going over for his second try. Ashton converted from under the posts to take the score at the break to 27 – 10 Rochford.
It all seemed that everything was going to plan and there was a tremendous buzz of expectation from the touchline as the second session started. Thurrock however, had not read the script as they came out with all guns blazing as they went up a couple of gears themselves.
The last forty minutes of league rugby from a Rochford point of view was a very tense and nail biting affair as they once again had to draw on they deep reserves to repel their opponents. Rochford’s cause was not helped as at one stage they were down to thirteen men after two yellow cardings but they hung on with tremendous effort until they were back at full strength again.
Thurrock lifted their supporters with a well earned try to claw back to 15 – 27 and then followed up with another try to bring them within one score of the league leaders.
Most of the half was played in Rochford territory and a great deal in their twenty two area but that famous defence that has seen them through many a tight match once again kicked in and unlike at Brentwood they held firm.
The final whistle went and celebrations then started in earnest and the party could finally get started.
The match in many ways summed up what this Rochford team is all about. They showed the amazing running skills and the fast aggressive combination of forwards and back working together and the stubborn defensive qualities that they have developed over the past couple of seasons.
There were, also, the errors and some ill discipline that have yet to be fully erased but mostly we are left with a feeling of a team fully confident in there ability and very comfortable with each other which they will need as they step up into a much tougher division next season.
A final word from me, an old warhorse, that feels immensely proud of his club and especially of this special team he has been part of.
Roll on May 2nd and finish off this season in style by once again winning the Essex Cup and making this season something to look back on.

Team: Chivers, McMahon, Berry, Tape, Stephenson, Barker, Baker A,Norris, Forbes, Needham, Stewart, Spencer, Ashton, Stubbs, Webb C, Ansell, Murphy, Barnes.

WEBMASTERS NOTE: The photographs are just a few (of 249) from Russ Shepherd's site at
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v207/Russ77/Rugby/RHRFC%20League%20Champions%202009/
(if you send Russ an Email he'll forward a Full-res version of your chosen photographs so you can print them out and put them on your bedroom wall !!!)