The much-awaited confrontation between the two high flying teams in the league was a savoury dish served up to a large crowd especially for the loyal Rochford supporters.

Gone was the hesitant, on, off performances of the past few weeks as the home side rose to this immense challenge to bring their promotion goal even nearer.

The team, playing in red, started on fire and took the game to The North Essex outfit and just did not allow them to settle.

From the off the much-vaunted Colchester forwards were put to the sword in the set piece where they were driven and turned, and their pacey backs were hounded at every opportunity.

From a Rochford lineout on the five-metre line a catch and powerful drive saw impressive hooker Adam Ferrier ground the ball and for Chris Dudman to convert. Very shortly after an almost identical situation allowed Rochford to catch and drive again. Once more Ferrier pounced to score.

During the majority of this exciting first half the home side did not give any room for Colchester to impress themselves and there was some ferocious tackling all over the park to force the visitors back time and again.

A smart piece of attacking play by the boys in red was rewarded when centre Matt Stewart ran in for a well worked try to take the score line to 17-0 at the break and Rochford were good value for it.

The set scrummage was controlled all game by the strong and powerful Rochford forwards where Ferrier, Craig Strachan and Michael Guess were the anchor and worker so hard all game.

The lineouts were dominated by Sam Fombo, Jamie Douglas and Harry Hudson at the back and the loose was keenly fought over with Colchester’s big, and aggressive forwards.

At the end of the first half scrum half Ricki Gould was yellow carded but this did not stop Rochford’s fourteen players taking the start of the second half to their rivals and big Sam Fombo secured the bonus point try for his team.

Some over robust play during this early period saw two yellow cards being shown to a couple of Colchester players and they had to carry on with thirteen men.

Rochford punished them for their indiscretion with a Chris Shields try which Dudman duly converted to increase the lead to 29- 0.

Plenty of powerful loose play followed where Hudson, Jody Allen, Douglas, Shields and others forced the pace and the backs supported in kind with some strong running where Iain Meads, before being injured, Stewart, Sonny Gay and wings Sam Nash and Dudman all had good runs.

However, Colchester are a very good side and they were not going to go down without a fight. During the middle and late section of this absorbing contest they rallied and began to win more ball and found some space.

Like all good sides they took their chances and their efforts paid off with a well worked try which was converted to take the score to 29 – 7.

Rochford now had to work hard to keep them at bay as the visitors increased the tempo to attack their opponents, but the home team responded by coming back and forceful play took Rochford up to the Colchester try line and centre Sonny Gay ran through to ground under the posts. Dudman added the extra two points but, once again, Colchester turned the screw with nothing to lose and broke away to score a late try.

More strong rugby by both sides followed with the visitors desperate to salvage something from the match and Rochford equally determined they did not.

In the end the Magnolia Road outfit prevailed to notch up an impressive and important victory where every player put his body on the line.

Terrific stuff and the boys can now have a week off before making the long trip up to third placed North Walsham. That will be another massive game to savour.