Despite a number of fixtures being called off, the sun-drenched Woodbridge pitch saw this Eastern Counties Greene King Division Four South game kick off in ideal conditions. Brightlingsea started energetically, challenging the Saxons in their own 22 and clearly playing a forwards game. They suffered the first of many scrum penalties however to allow the hosts to charge, Jono Cooke putting in a gritty tem metres before his pass was knocked on. Another scrum penalty for foot up saw Woodbridge spin the ball through the backs for centre Sam Jackson to score. Two minutes later they repeated the tactic for Barney Harper to take another five points. Brightlingsea rallied, winning a free kick and challenging the Saxon’s try line with their big forwards picking and driving at the blind side. Woodbridge defended well and countered back to the visitors half where prop Tony Moseley carried for Jez Hannon to score. The kick off was taken cleanly, passed to Sam Jackson to dashed 40m offloaded to Captain John Yorke for Alex Clifford to touch down. The next kick off suffered the same fate – Tony Moseley thundering down the right wing to score a try for the front row. Clearly rattled Brightlingsea’s pack made a concerted effort and camped in the Woodbridge 22 forcing repeated penalties from the Saxons to win a penalty try. Saxons 29 Brightlingsea 7 at the break.
A fluffed kick off saw the second half start with a scrum midway from which fast hands released Luke Garnham to re-open the account for Woodbridge. Undaunted, Brightlingsea kept the pressure on the right wing, forcing the Saxons down to 14 men, using the maul effectively and tackling well to contain the counter attack especially from the boisterous Garnham. Eventually the Woodbridge backs found space, scoring through Matty Redshaw and then using a long cross field pass to gain territory before a long kick forward bounced well for Redshaw to score again.
Brightlingsea substitutions saw Jacob Bodkin stretch his legs and run through four of his team mates to score for the visitors, converted by Bart. It was left for Woodbridge to end the game with a break-away try by Barney Harper to finish up a sunny game in temperament as well as weather.
Woodbridge Saxons 2XV 51 v Brightlingsea 14
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