Rochford, once again, had to fight hard for their bonus point win against tough opposition. The Kent side were a competent and disciplined outfit that used the wet conditions well with strong, racking kicks to pin down the home team for long periods of time. They also had territorial advantage on many occasions, especially in the first half. Having said all that Rochford are a strong, powerful unit and struck early on with a try by big prop Aston Bevans-Royston after some aggressive forward play on the Tunbridge line. Cameron Greenhall converted and against the run of play the boys in black went ahead.

Almost immediately Tunbridge hit back with a penalty kick to narrow the score. Another big forward surge by the home team saw captain Harry Hudson emerge from a melee of bodies to claim his ninth try of the season and Greenhall added the extra. The visitors, again, hit back with another penalty after some sustained pressure to take the score line to 14 – 6 which stayed the same until half time.

It had been a fierce and competitive encounter between the two sides with street-wise Tunbridge Wells applying plenty of pressure and Rochford defending very well to keep them at bay. The set scrums, at this stage, were even but Rochford had the edge in the line-out where Harry Hudson excelled. The Essex boys showed their power in the loose where new signing second row Jake Mills and others made good ground through their driving with ball in hand.

Conditions dictated play and Tunbridge had used the ball well, seemingly more aware of space to put the ball and gain territory. A further penalty kick to the opposition reduced the deficit to 14- 9 and it was game on. Rochford needed to regain control which they started to do through their powerful pack with a number of driving mauls from line-out and loose.

It was not pretty to watch and the game became a stop, start affair but it was effective. The home outfit gained control of the scrummage and drove their visitors back a number of times to upset their set ball. The match progressed through the second half with plenty of kicking from both teams and lots of scrums and line-outs, with a few pieces of good, open running thrown in.

The game needed a spark as far as Rochford were concerned and late into the game it came when, from a long kick up field, winger Danny Cleare showed his class to gather and run in for Rochford’s third try. Rochford now had a buffer at 19 – 9 and they upped the pace to go for that elusive fourth and bonus point try. It has been a feature during all their games that the Magnolia Road boys finish strongly and they did not let themselves down. More strong, aggressive forward play resulted in no.8 Mac Duaibe driving over in the corner for that important try and the continuation of this remarkable run of victories.

Well done to all the team for getting another good result in spite of playing below par for the most part but even so the strength and power was there when needed! Good performances from the likes of Mills, Hudson, Douglas, Tunde Bevans-Royston and others in the forwards and Greenhall, Chris Dudman, Iain Meads and Danny Cleare together with the rest of the back division all working hard in spite of the wet conditions.

Next week the really big one when Rochford travel to deepest South West London to take on the league leaders Wimbledon in what will be a crunch match. The lads know that they are going to have to raise their game for that one and I am sure they will.

Team:- Bailey,Ferrier,Bevans-Royston,Tunde,Mills,Douglas,Hudson,Duaibe,
Gould, Greenhall, Cleare, Dudman, Brambley, Billings ,Meads

Subs;-Brunger, Brackett, Martin