ROCHFORD’S BRAVE EFFORTS NOT ENOUGH THIS TIME

Sometimes a score line alone does not always tell the full story of a match. So it was with this encounter as a depleted Rochford were forced to take a bare 15 players on the 250 mile round trip into deepest Norfolk

This was a repeat of last season’s trip to Holt just before Christmas when, once again, the Essex boys had to travel to Holt with only 15 men and although this time the result went against them it was no less an heroic performance on their part.

With six front row forwards making up the numbers and having to put two flankers on the wing and one in the centre and others out of position Rochford knuckled down to the task.

Holt quickly exploited the lack of pace on the flanks and used long, racking kicks to set up their lively forwards to break through to score three quick tries and a penalty to go 18-0 up before the visitors were able to start adjusting to the situation and to play with any cohesion.

Towards the latter part of the half Rochford began to take the game to Holt and put in some good, strong driving play but were unable to get on the score sheet.

Another converted try before half time put the home side 25-0 in the lead at the break.

Into the second half the next score was going to be crucial but it was the Norfolk outfit that increased their lead with a converted try to take the match away from the Essex side.

Rochford, against the odds, started taking the game to their opponents and for the majority of the second half had most of the play and territory and when the excellent Michael Mark, crashed over for a try and Brett Smith converted we wondered if something special might happen.

On this occasion it was not to be in spite of a number of promising moves the Holt defence held firm and tired Rochford just could not find that little extra especially with injuries to Matt White, Sam Tape and Scott Chivers.

In fact Rochford played out the last 10 minutes with only thirteen players as Tape and Chivers could not return to the field.

A late Holt try finished the scoring.

Great praise must go to all the boys from the likes of the young front row of Jack Clarke, Bradley Hughes and Liam Bass all of whom made big contributions. The second row of Ricky Wiseman and Michael Mark dug deep and gritted it out all afternoon.

In the back row Ross Murphy had one of his best games as did Scott Chivers and Sam Tape who due to an early crack on the jaw played on for most of the match without much recollection of it.

Brett Smith was all aggression and guile and Simon Ashton at stand-off linked well with his centres where Michael Stemp and out of position Tom Corbet were full of strong running.

Incidentally Simon is the fourth of the Ashton family to play for the first team in the same position of Stand Off. That must be some record.

Matthew White, having to move to full back from wing had a great game and Jake Knowles and Louis Warner filling in on the wings tackled as if their lives depended on it.

The team were always going to be up against it as the odds were stacked against them but their tireless, heroic, efforts deserved a lot more.

Every player gave their all and walked off the pitch with their heads held high but, they should not have had to be put in this situation in the first place.