South Woodham Ferrers v Holt

South Woodham Ferrers RFC recorded their second win of the season with an emphatic eight try thrashing of visitors Holt. This was the performance that has been bubbling along under the stuttering games of the last few weeks with the forwards dominant in all areas of the game and the backs able to play with style and pace, off good quick ball.

The game started brightly for the home side when the first scrum of the game saw Woodham drive the visitors back to win the first of a several penalties at the set piece. The decision to take another scrum and then another, after a second penalty, put the lads deep in the Holt half. The reward came with a run-in try for flanker Liam Searles, converted by Alex Baker.

More scrums and more penalties deep in the Holt 22 illustrated the dominance that the home side had. The resulting possession gave the Woodham backs a chance to put on the style with three more converted tries from Sevie Hurrell, Jordan Harper and Alex Baker.

Holt only managed to threaten the Woodham line in the last few minutes of the half but the defence remained strong and the whistle came with home side well on top at 28 points to nil.

Changes in the line-up for the second half didn’t unsettle the home side who continued to dominate all aspects of the game. The back-row trio of Liam Searles, Stuart Whatling and captain Lewis Gilbert proved to be a real handful for the Holt defence, breaking the line at will to pile on the pressure.

Man of the match Liam Searles opened the second half scoring with yet another break through try and to keep the forwards on the scoreboard Ollie Trigg found himself on the wing to go over for Woodhams sixth.

Holt did not give up trying to break through but strong defending all round saw the ball turned over several times and the Woodham counter was always threatening. Warren Duggan had several strong runs from deep in his own half before a final off-load paid off with Jordan Harpers second try of the day.

As the game drew to an end Woodham passed the 50 point mark when they were awarded a penalty deep in the Holt 22. A line out was taken and the resulting attack saw John Murphy dive over from close range, Alex Baker slotted the conversion to finish with a 17 point tally.

The whistle came with Woodham having accrued 52 unanswered points. It was a dominant and disciplined display marred only by an injury to Scott Horsburgh. In attack the lads were clinical and could have scored more if Holts defence had not been as well organised. In defence they gave nothing away and it was pleasing to see the penalty count at its lowest for some weeks.