Colchester 14 v Woodbridge Warriors 19

After a close home leg this match promised to be hard and so it turned out. Woodbridge started sharply despite two opening scrums going against them and a clear height and weight disadvantage. A great diagonal run from Colchester fly half Adam Cook took play to the visitors 22 where they elected to scrum when Woodbridge were penalised. The scrum saw No 8 Andrew Goodbourn score from the second attempted push over and set Woodbridge forwards a challenge.

The Warriors attempted to restart the game through their backs with a couple of kick-throughs that tested winger Sam Migan yielding a line-out from which Woodbridge had a couple of charges at the Colchester 22 before conceding a scrum. The Colchester pack with its towering locks Toby Hill and Kieran Payne retained possession and launched their runners with a long kick that unfortunately went dead. Woodbridge, normally confident in its backs, suffered from some indecision and sloppy passing when they did manage a counter but defended well to keep play in midfield. Warrior fly-half JP Hart had a promising run on the left wing only to be blocked after chipping through – Jamie Smith missed the penalty opportunity but Woodbridge attacked again forcing a dead ball and 5m scrum. The home defence held, Goodbourn and flankers Steve McManamon and Patrick Murphy putting in a tough shift of tackling. Centre Julian Chamberlain-Carter had a darting run but the Colchester pack was penalised for pushing too soon to stymie that attack and subsequent runs met similarly obdurate defence from the Warriors, Dan Bond, Capt Tom Stokes and Herb Parsley in particular.

After a period of pressure in the Woodbridge 22 they ran from deep, Hart and Lloyd taking a looping arc down the left wing to challenge the home 22. This was followed by a line-out and penalty that saw Woodbridge set up an attack that saw Plummer, Simon Codd and Cooke carry deep towards the line where Bond assisted prop Ed Banthorp to score a forwards try against the odds.

The second half started with a fairly simple looking try from Colchester’s Cook who finished a well worked move from the kick off to put the hosts ahead. Woodbridge weren’t to be put off and continued to strike wide through Plummer, Parsley, Jamie Smith and Simon Ward. Their line-out worked well and Plummer and Cook worked together well to slow down Colchester scrum ball but poor passing stopped them finishing. Long kicks made possession a bit of a lottery and favoured the visitors who held the defensive line high up field and kept Migan under pressure. Jamie Smith got close but Colchester cleared the first time, gaining in confidence and even choosing the scrum option for penalties. As the third quarter started Woodbridge won a loose ball, passed it wide through Hart to Parsley who offloaded for Lloyd to score. With just a conversion in it Woodbridge held off several moves by the Colchester centres Alex Harvey and Chamberlain-Carter and a dangerous long kick as play loosened up and Cook stole the ball and with Lloyd and Hart exploited the 3 on 1 for Hart to score.

Woodbridge wanted more and very nearly got it from Bond stealing at the ruck and Cook being held up on the line but the close, exciting match ended 14-19.

Beccles started impatiently, no doubt keen to avenge the September home loss, forcing Warrior No8 Jono Cooke to defend, clearing out for a line-out. Woodbridge stayed in the Beccles half of the pitch running off the set piece with forwards Dan Taylor and Ed Banthorp putting in repeated drives rallied by Simon Codd. Another penalty for offside and Jack Johnson slotted three points.

Beccles conceded another penalty to give the Warrior 10, JP Hart, an opportunity for territory which he missed, Beccles full back Stuart Armstrong running the ball back. Some hard rucking saw Woodbridge get the upper hand, Tim Johnson boisterously bashing through and Nick Woodley predatory in the loose. A grubber kick lead to the first scrum where the larger Beccles pack; Tris Holzer, Russell Arnold and Stuart Adams with the tallest man on the pitch, lock Paul Wilson, failed to stop the Warriors attacking. Woodbridge put in a dozen phases of attack but the Beccles defence held, Keith Johnstone, Robert Hall and John Walker notable amongst a team-wide effort which also benefitted from some poor Woodbridge rucking. The visitors had a brief moment of respite and put in a strong maul from a line-out but the break faltered and Woodbridge countered through Hart, Capt Tom Stokes, centre Josh Thomas and Johnson. Play remained in Beccles half as the hosts swung left and right – forwards rutted and swift backs probed the wide channels. Beleaguered Beccles held on, tackle after thumping tackle, as Stokes, Adam Plummer, Aldis Salavejs and Cooke came close. Inexorably a blind side move from a scrum and lightening quick passing saw Simon Ward score and bring the Warrior first half haul to 10 points from virtually 100% territory.

Woodbridge tails stayed up, chasing the kicks and charging down clearances but Beccles used the boot to push the hosts back. Cooke broke from a ruck and looked dangerous but Beccles were defending further up field. Hart chased his own kick, tackled the receiver and set up another attacking breakdown from which Johnson kicked another three points. Five minutes later and a break from Cooke yielded another penalty and Johnson punished with his third three pointer. Beccles challenged the Woodbridge 22 again but suffered repeated penalties that frustrated and put them on the back foot. Woodbridge attacked on the left up to the 5m line and switched quickly to the unlikely right winger, No8 Cooke, who lurched over the line.

Continued forays by a resolute Beccles through the energetic Matt Goode at 10, hard-working scrum half Sam Puxley and left wing Ollie Larkworthy put them into the Woodbridge 22. They came close to scoring when their forwards battered the Woodbridge defence for five minutes. Taff Lloyd put in a bone-shaking tackle midfield and eventually the Warriors cleared. The well-refreshed home crowd sensed the Warrior backs were finding some space when Johnson first made a 30m break before a misdirected quick throw in from Cameron Bonner saw Josh Thomas sprint 40m to score. Moments later a text book move to ship the ball wide saw Thomas score again, converted by Johnson to bring his points haul to 15.

Woodbridge Warriors 35 v Beccles 0

The clashes between Woodbridge and Crusaders are always tough, no more so than when they’re respectively 4^th and 3^rd in the league. Crusaders started with their tails up, fly half Ryan Harris shouting for his forwards to chase the kick down to the Warrior try line where they picked and drove several phases. Woodbridge ripped the ball and Capt Tom Stokes allowed JP Hart to clear, but the lineout fed Harris who broke free to run in unopposed and open the score.

Crusaders immediately attacked again, Capt Lewis Wright working hard to lead from the front. A scrum and a couple of penalties got Woodbridge just within kicking distance but Jamie Smith’s effort was short. Big Crus lock Henry Mower then joined the charge back, winning a penalty to gain the ground and force another attacking scrum. Under pressure the Warriors conceded yet another penalty and Crusaders released their forwards to batter down the left wing forcing full back Smith to call the mark. Crusaders pack became a thorn in Woodbridge’s side attracting the Ref’s attention and stifling possession. When the Warriors did get the ball they were forced to play it fast, Crusaders line speed stopping Woodbridge’s favoured open running. When they did make progress; Hart linking well with Stokes, Aldis Salavejs and Lewis Jacobs, Woodbridge opted to kick penalties but Smith was off form – getting one during the match.

Penalties mounted for both sides forcing play to stay mostly central until Crusaders charged from a line-out down their left wing to set up several charges on the line. Woodbridge, down to 14, cleared and Crusaders repeatedly went for the corner until on the third attempt Crus were rewarded as substitute forward Peter Blinkhorn scored from the maul. Both sides held their defensive lines against some increasingly bad tempered challenges during which Crusaders lost a man to the bin – but the scores stayed 12-3 at the break.

The home team started the second half in the same manner as the first, using their hard-working forwards; Henry Joy, Vincent Cook, Sam Barker and flankers Callum Widdrington and Wright to bash their way up the right wing in front of a noisy, well fed home crowd. Woodbridge found a clearance kick but penalties gave Crus control to dig in on the Warrior 5m line. The kick away missed touch and opened another period of gut-wrenching tackles with both sides flat out to get the upper hand. With the visitors under the cosh there was an effort to pressurise Lewis Kenworthy Crusader’s full back but the chase was short and even when Woodbridge got the ball Crusaders squeezed the off load, interrupted the flow and put them on the back foot – Smith missing another penalty. Crusaders centre Tim Zeilinski put in a darting run that started another period of pressure, Crus kicking over and forcing a scrum form which flanker Widdrington scored a cheeky try by dabbing down before Jono Cooke could defend.

After such an intense session tiredness began to creep in and small bursts of short temper. Both sides got yellows and tackles became looser. Woodbridge started to make some space to attack, Adam Plummer and Hart moving play from side to side but Crusaders had it covered, despite being penalised, their floating defence ambushed repeated assaults. Crusaders held the deserved win with noisy team spirit.

Crusaders 19 v Woodbridge Warriors 3