Braintree vs. Rochford U15, Essex Cup Final, 3 April 2011

Rochford started brightly taking the game to Braintree but their good work was too often wasted due to giving away silly penalties, Braintree missed for the first kick, but opened the scoring from the second Braintree 3 – Rochford 0. Rochford continued attacking and from a kick forward managed to isolate the Braintree boy who collected the ball and win a penalty for holding on, Josh Lipscombe successfully kicking to even the score Braintree 3 – Rochford 3. With about 20 minutes gone, a Braintree kick forward was nicely collected by Kyle Bury who went on a jinking run through the Braintree side and when tackled the ball was worked to Perry Livingstone to score out wide, Braintree 3 – Rochford 8. With little time remaining in the first half, Rochford won a Braintree lineout and again worked it wide to Perry, who was tackled a couple of yards short of the line. The ball was recycled inside, with several players driving for the line but being stopped by desperate tackles before Musa Yusuff dived over right under the posts to score, Josh Lipscombe converting. With last play called, Musa got the ball from the scrum and kicked into touch Braintree 3 – Rochford 18.

Rochford were stung after the restart , Braintree charging down a Rochford kick, with the ball rebounding to a Braintree, the move ending in a try for Braintree to get themselves back in the game Braintree 8 – Rochford 15. Rochford continued to attack the remainder of the half playing some good rugby, but were often bundled into touch by a resolute Braintree defence, or guilty of knocking on at vital moments. Rochford kicked a further penalty Braintree 8 – Rochford 18, and were lucky to survive a late Braintree attack, with Kyle Bury making a vital tackle, the second half ended the same as the first, with last play called and Musa kicking to touch from a scrum.

This was a very good game of rugby and worthy I think as the final, Braintree were a very disciplined and difficult team to break down, especially in the second half. The win rounds off a fantastic season for the Under 15s winning the double of League 1 and Cup.