BACK INTO BAD HABITS

After the encouragement of progressively good performances over recent weeks especially last Saturday’s all-round excellent display Rochford played well below par this week.

It all started promisingly enough when a lively Rochford took the game to Letchworth and applied early pressure. A wild pass after an excellent attacking move resulted in Letchworth’s Fijian centre intercepting a pass and running the length of the field to score under the posts for a converted try.

Rochford responded well and attacked again and hooker Tom Corbet finished off a great piece of play to power over the line and for Tom Ashton to convert and level the score.

The home side were a well organised outfit with strong forwards and they used them to good effect when they found themselves lodged in the visitors twenty two . A powerful forward surge resulted in their flanker grounding the ball over the line to retake the lead.

The game was nicely balanced with the strong wind in Rochford’s favour as Ashton demonstrated as he kicked over a penalty to reduce the deficit but that was as it got for a disappointing Rochford as they then contrived to give the game away.

Their cause was, once again, not helped by an injury to influential flanker James Needham who had to leave the field but his brother Dan had a marvellous game with some great breaks and tremendous tackling which should have acted as an inspiration to his team mates.

Unfortunately another strong forward drive saw the Letchworth prop crash over for a try followed by a Rochford breakdown and interception for a further converted try .That was bad enough but another easy try just before the break destroyed any hope of a Rochford comeback.

The lads in black pulled themselves together somewhat in the second half and played some good rugby to keep Letchworth tied down for most of the session but not before giving away another silly try early on and then a seventh try near the end of the game.

Rochford created plenty of chances but again undisciplined decision making and execution let them down and allowed Letchworth an easier looking victory than the play warranted.

It was more a case of Rochford giving their opponents the opportunities to score, which they did to good effect, than the home side having to work hard to achieve it.

There were some other good individual performances from the likes of Darren Spencer, George Chipper, Ryan Stephenson and a few others but as a team they did not match up to the standards they have set themselves this season and know they let themselves down on the day.

The team will certainly need to use the rest next Saturday to regroup and come back refreshed against Chingford at home the following Saturday.