The stage was set for a great afternoon. The rain stopped just before kick-off and the sun came out as did a big crowd to welcome the influential Harlequins coach Conor O’Shea.

All it wanted was a game to match the occasion and that is exactly what an expectant crowd did not get. Both team conspired to produce a match of poor quality and some rather inept rugby mixed with bad tempered exchanges as both teams became frustrated by the result of frantic tackling and turnovers.

South Woodham went ahead early on with a penalty kick and it was not until late in the half that a Rochford scrum on their opponents line resulted in scrum half Brett Smith borrowing over for a try to put Rochford narrowly in front.

That was how it stood until half time and it was thought that the bad stuff would be put away and the second half would produce some better play. How wrong can you be?

Both sides tried hard to settle down but were unable to do so. Rochford tried to run the ball through their talented backs but they did not receive enough good ball to do so with effect and South Woodham were always trying to disrupt the home side’s efforts to move out wide.

Rochford did not help their own cause by attempting too many complicated moves when the simple alternative would have been better.

A great deal of ball from line out was of poor quality and the game was marred by unsavoury off the ball incidents and the referee had to use the yellow card to both teams.

In addition to that both second rows, Sam Tape and Ricky Wiseman had to leave the field due to injury and the home team had to regroup.

With both teams cancelling each other out the second half carried on in this vain.

There was only 10 minutes to go when South Woodham, after some sustained attacking play on the Rochford line managed to find a gap and ran through for a try to take the lead at 5 -8 .

It seemed that it was all over for the dejected home side but as they have shown on a number of occasions they can call on that little extra when needed.

The sands of time were running out but from deep down the boys in black forced play to the South Woodham try line and after a couple of driving mauls went over the line to ground the ball but the try was disallowed.

Again Rochford went for the killer blow and this time it paid off as a jubilant Tom Corbet emerged from a melee of bodies to take credit for a well-deserved forwards try.

Adam Ashton converted the try and then the team had to hang on for the final few minutes as Woodham stormed back to get that all important try.

This they did and it was with a sense of relief more than jubilation that they reacted as the final whistle blow.

Not one of the side’s finest games but if they can play this badly and still get a result then that is what counts in the end and the winning momentum carries on.