Brentwood 0 – 7 Chingford

Saturday 6th March 2010

Back in November the away fixture was convincingly lost 20 – 6. Since then Chingford have climbed to fifth place in the league while Brentwood have slid into the relegation zone at eleventh place.

This week Director of rugby Steve Killington was forced to many changes to his team following a spate of injuries. Anthony Sherwood, Killington and Paul Pickworth started in the pack with John Beith at scrum-half and Adam Thomas at centre.

On a much drier pitch and in bright sunshine Brentwood kicked off up-field. Within five minutes the home sides woes began when prop Anthony Sherwood went off with a facial blood injury and was replaced by Joel Bevans-Royston.

An early penalty to Chingford was not converted and with Brentwood repulsing the visitors efforts to open play the game in the first quarter was very even. Chingford with the advantage of slope were kept in check by a spirited display by the Brentwood pack and on their few attacking opportunities the home sides cover defence was more than adequate.

Into the second quarter winger Andy Lloyd was injured making a heavy tackle in mid-field but fortunately he made an early recovery. With young Brad Burr's line kicking making much ground Brentwood kept the pressure on Chingford. However with Sherwood on route to hospital with a mouth injury, scrum half Beith became the home sides next casualty.

Approaching half time Brentwood were becoming more and more penalised by the Kent society's referee, with captain Tom King being controversially yellow carded for a dangerous tackle. Fortunately Chingford were unable to convert any of their penalties.

At half-time with the score 0 – 0 Brentwood with slope advantage for the second half were now in the driving seat. Urged on by a large crowd, the home side desperately sought a score to give them the two needed league points. However a lack of a cutting edge in the backs prevented a try from being scored and the more promising attacking moves came from the committed pack.

Into the last quarter, hooker Matt Northall who had had a tremendous game went off with a damaged hand to be replaced by flanker Ben Amato. Uncontested scrums then followed.

Chingford stepped up their game as Brentwood started to slow up, weighted down by the referee unable to spot Chingford's continual off-side. Any move by the home side was brought to a halt by a rain of penalties, frustrating the team and it's many supporters. With minutes to go and against the run of play Chingford hacked the ball up-field through Brentwood's defence for a converted try. Brentwood desperately sought to equalize but further penalties and a tight defence from Chingford's back row prevented a further score.

The home side should have won as they were the best team on the park but a combination of a highly controversial refereeing performance and an outstanding display from Chingford's back row ended with a 7 – 0 victory to the visitors. By the end of the match Brentwood had been penalised 36 times. At nearly one every two minutes this must be something of a league record.

Brentwood remain eleventh and Chingford move to fourth in the league. Next week the club are away to Staines (KO 3:00pm) league leaders with 39 points, a daunting task.

Team :- Sherwood, Northall, Bevans-Royston (A), Killington, Woodcock, Pickworth, King (c) Roman, Beith, Burr, Solomans, Thomas, Mead, Lloyd, Stannard