Last Saturday at King Georges Playing Fields, Brentwood beat their old rivals by the slimmest of margins as they stretched their unbeaten run to four games, unfortunately they dropped out of the promotion spots falling to third in the table on point’s difference behind second placed Tring, both teams being 5 points behind league leaders Amersham and Chiltern.

Both clubs were enthusiastic for the game to take place and although the ground was heavy and wet they agreed to play on Brentwood’s small fourth pitch, Brentwood’s other two pitches, being deemed unfit to play on. These conditions were never going to allow for a re-run of Brentwood’s excellent victory of 56 – 19, served up when Brentwood played at Barking’s ground earlier in the season. The game last Saturday, was more of a war of attrition all dominated by the forwards.

The first half saw Brentwood camped in the oppositions half, but they were unable to break the Barking defence and the solitary score of the half was a penalty kick converted by Henry Bird following a Barking player being caught offside. Both sides were fully committed but the conditions made attacking rugby difficult to achieve.

This solid Brentwood performance was marred by the loss of hooker Jon Crisp with a suspected dislocated ankle which led to some adjustment to the pack, Captain Josh Woodcock moving to the unfamiliar position of hooker and young New Zealander colt Jamie Tavui, coming into the second row. We wish Jon Crisp well and as speedy a recovery as possible.

The second half simply saw a repeat of the first half but Barking had the territorial advantage. However they were unable to break through the Brentwood defence where as usual Brentwoods James Metcalfe gave another virtuoso display assisted by his back row colleagues the veteran Tom King and Nick Binet.Billy Aldous.

At the sixty minute mark Billy Aldous joined the fray replacing Nick Binet. The influential Brentwood scrum half Henry Galligan making his final appearance before returning to university was replaced by the veteran Felix Harris - his usual busy self but, with the pitch turning into a bog any attempt by either side to play attacking rugby simply led to the ball being dropped or knocked on.

The game ended with Barking attacking but not never dominating. This was a match best forgotton but another win for the home side and importantly 4 points safely in the bag.

The Chigwell Construction man of the match, was Josh Woodcock