South Woodham Ferrers RFC v Epping & Upper Clapton

The lads turned up to find a pitch heavily laden with standing water and it was only after a monumental effort from the home sides staff to clear it that the game was able to be played. Not just challenged by a heavy pitch the game was also to be played in a stiff and bitingly cold wind that made kicking very difficult unless it was behind you. Despite the weather and the pitch, which undoubtably favoured the heavier home side, Woodham were triumphant winning 17 points to 7.

Playing with wind behind them in the first half Woodham struggled to get their running game going and it was the home side that threatened in the early stages of the game. Two penalties that would normally have been well withing kicking range fell short, allowing the visitors to clear their lines. It was Woodham who came closest to scoring first with a fine attack from a line out maul, but sadly skipper Lewis Gilbert was bundled into touch half a yard from the try line.

Woodham had several more attacking chances resulting from the home sides ill-discipline but on each occasion, they were unable to finish them off. On an easier day perhaps they would have taken the opportunity to kick their penalties rather than opt for line outs or scrums.

The home side had chances of their own and indeed they were to score first when they broke away from a Woodham attack and ran in a try to the obvious delight their supporters who had just enjoyed their Christmas lunch. The try was converted. The lead was not to last long as Woodham hit back with a try of their own scored by Tate Holliday and converted by Alex Baker.

As the half drew to a close Woodham got their noses ahead with a penalty scored by Baker.

The second half started brightly for Woodham with the perfect poachers try from Jack Norkett who emerged with the ball from a ruck deep in the Upper Clapton half and scrambled over the line to score. Baker made it three from three with the conversion.

What was to follow was an arm wrestle in the mud with both sides trying to break through each other’s defence on a pitch that was rapidly tuning into a ploughed field. Woodham had the better chances but failed to score; Dale Borthwick came closest but ended up in touch just before the line.

The homes sides supporters urged their team on as the game became increasingly fractious but all it achieved was to see two of their team sin binned for high or no armed tackles. They never gave up and as the game went into its last quarter their heavier pack started to get on top.

With much of the game being played in the Woodham 22 the visiting supporters started to get more nervous. Neil Gittos unselfishly sacrificed himself to the cause with a no-arms tackle to prevent a dangerous attack although the resulting yellow card left the visitors short of heft in the pack. He was to return just before the end of the game to make a magnificent tackle to win the ball that allowed the visitors to close the game and go into Christmas on a winning note.

The ten point margin could easily have been more if the lads could have finished off their two clearest chances or taken the chance to kick penalties when they had the wind behind them but it is the result that counts and they will go into the Christmas break confident that they are back on track.