Harts March On

Rochford Harts maintained their unbeaten start to the season with a hard fought win away at Brentwood on a warm September afternoon. It was Brentwood who started the brightest though as for the second week running from the kick off Rochford sat back and allowed a strong running Brentwood side to waltz through unopposed to open the scoring 5-0. Just like last week this served as a wake up call for the boys in black and again they started to show some of the class that saw off Romford the week before. However some ill discipline led to a penalty to Brentwood directly in front of the posts which they converted with ease to increase their lead to 8-0.

Some hard hitting running from the Rochford back row of Churton, Warner and Knowles eventually pushed Rochford deep into the Brentwood half, the ball was recycled quickly again by the impressive scrum half Forbes who fed the ball to fly half Head on the front foot who made a strong mazy run beating three defenders only to be pulled down a yard from the line but was still able to pop the ball up to the oncoming Churton who crashed over to open the scoring for Rochford 8-5.

With the slope and wind in the favour Rochford dominated the rest of the first half but some excellent defensive work from Brentwood and a number of silly mistakes from Rochford kept the score line the same until late on in the half when the jinky running of full back Scanaglia-Cooke managed to break the Brentwood line spinning out of several tackles and then bursting over the line to allow Rochford to take the lead for the first time in the match 8-10.

Unfortunately for Rochford the second half started the same as the first giving away the ball far too easily to the Brentwood centre, he decided to attack and found himself running almost without opposition as Rochford failed to make several tackles allowing him to score the first try of the half under the posts which was easily converted, 15-10. The boys from Magnolia Road knew it was going to be an uphill battle (literally) from there but never ones to lay down and die hit back almost immediately.

Some excellent open play from the strong Rochford Eight got the boys in black into the Brentwood 22 and from a scrum the ball was picked up by the eight Churton who put them on the front foot once again allowing Forbes to supply Head’s backline with some quick go forward ball who immediately got the ball out wide to the impressive outside centre Pickering who managed to beat his opposite man just yards from the line and crash over to level the scores 15-15.

Brentwood hit back just minutes later though with some excellent interlinking from their forwards and backs who managed to break the Rochford defensive line and set away their pacy wing who ran down the touchline to score a try out wide 20-15. This back and forth match turned once again and Rochford hit back with 15 minutes remaining of the game when Pickering once again dotted down under the posts after an excellent strong run beating several defenders on the way and brushing off a number of tackles, which was crucially converted by Captain Warner, 20-22.

The rest of the game was all Brentwood who were pushing for that winning try but were denied by the excellent Rochford defence, as the last seconds ticked away, Rochford who were in possession just had to retain the ball, they managed to do so but illegally holding on to the ball in the tackle and gave away a penalty 35 yards out just to the left of the posts. With not even enough time left to take a line out Brentwood had no option but to kick for goal, and unfortunately for them their goal kicker pushed to ball just inches wide of the right upright and the referee blew his whistle to end the game Brentwood 20 – 22 Rochford. Another hard fought win for the boys in Black but they need to learn to stay switched on for the full 80 minutes and especially from the restarts as it’s the second week in a row they have given away soft try’s needlessly. They will however be satisfied with their impressive approach play, handling and set piece all of which are working excellently.