This week, on yet another wet windy day, Brentwood made the trip away to Woodford hoping to put last week’s disappointment behind them. Unfortunately, the Match Reporter is quite pressed for time this week (yes, I know this is late!) and needs to keep it brief(ish) so spoiler alert : we remain disappointed...

For Brentwood the game actually didn’t start badly, Niall Clifford with a well-timed early intercept to go under the posts unopposed, Henry Bird converting to give Brentwood a 0-7 lead, but Woodford responded shortly afterwards with a penalty to reduce the deficit to 3-7.

Fifteen scoreless minutes then went by in which Brentwood reverted to 2023 levels of squandering opportunities, before, as seems to be customary any time we visit Woodford, there was then a bit of argy bargy which resulted in Jack Richards and his sparring partner having ten minutes on the naughty step…Six minutes later Brentwood found themselves under the cosh on their own line and this time, a rarely seen phenomenon, the penalty try was awarded against them – Will McArthur singled out for a deliberate knock on, an automatic seven pointer for Woodford and another yellow for Brentwood, 10-7.

Brentwood though fought back, a break down the wing from Tauren Henwood getting some good field position, allowing pressure to be applied in the 22. Finally, an opportunity was taken from a tap penalty; Henry Bird with the initial bust up the middle before it went wide through the hands of Lorcan Kelleher and Tauren Henwood, Alex Roberts brushing through the cover to go in at the corner with Henry Bird’s conversion taking the score to 10-14.

Brentwood’s lead didn’t last long, Woodford replying with a try of their own just three minutes later when some faffing around from Brentwood too close to their own try line gave Woodford a scrum five metres out in which they got a bit of a nudge on before some hard running from their backs saw them over the line by the posts, 17-14.

There was still a little time left in the half for Brentwood to miss another golden opportunity, the ball knocked on over the try line in the last play, half time and a better second half needed…

The second half, however, got off to a poor start, a loose kick from the restart putting Brentwood immediately under pressure followed swiftly by a penalty concession. Woodford opted for the scrum, shoving forwards before bundling over in the next phase, 22-14.

In what was becoming quite a topsy turvy game, Brentwood responded straight away, winning the restart back and getting a penalty a phase later. Lorcan Kelleher found a good touch five metres out before Andy Sutton’s throw was accurate to James Killington in the middle, the maul set and trundling forward, a large blind side opening up which Andy Sutton took advantage of to dart over, 22-19.

Brentwood though just couldn’t keep hold of the momentum and some more uncharacteristic loose kicking landed them in bother again, giving Woodford front foot ball in the 22 before another penalty was conceded. Woodford again opted for the scrum, using it to set up a couple of phases before working an overlap on the left to extend their lead to 29-19.

Once more, Brentwood pulled themselves back into it. A maul which surged forwards taking play up to Woodford’s 22 before Alex Roberts and Liam Power combined to make good yardage on the left, two more phases then saw the ball swung right, Niall Clifford and Henry Bird with deft hands in the now swirling rain to set Alex Roberts free again. Alex looked to have scored in the corner but as it transpires, penalty tries are like buses and having not seen one in an age, the second of the game was awarded to Brentwood – presumably the tackle attempt was high but it was too dark to see that corner of the pitch from my viewpoint…29-26.

With about twenty minutes still to play, there was still plenty of time for drama and, after Woodford had missed a kickable penalty opportunity, it was Brentwood who pulled into the lead after a further ten had elapsed. With Woodford spilling the ball in midfield, Tom Fahy was quick to react, getting hold of the ball and tearing up-field. The tackle came in just before Woodford’s 22, but Brentwood’s ball was quick, Tauren Henwood and Niall Clifford finding Lorcan Kelleher who went between two tackles and weaved away from the cover to score the try, 29-31.

The pendulum then swung back in Woodford’s favour again, Brentwood receiving another yellow card after a penalty too close to the try line, Will McArthur again on the receiving end of it, a second yellow and so presumably a red even though the card wasn’t brandished…Two minutes later Woodford regained the lead via the boot from a penalty in front of the sticks, 32-31 but Brentwood’s response was immediate this time, a penalty just after the restart giving Henry Bird a shot at the posts which he took, 32-34.

Unfortunately for Brentwood there was still one more twist in the game and a penalty on halfway allowed Woodford to stick the ball towards the corner. The lineout was a bit of a mess, but Woodford did get the ball back, firstly flinging it wide right before bringing it back left where Brentwood’s defensive line had completely disintegrated, the try scored to give Woodford a 37-34 lead. There was time for a restart but no chance of last-minute heroics for Brentwood, Woodford taking it and getting the ball off the pitch for full time.

For Brentwood, another disappointing outing where there was opportunity to win this game, but they just couldn’t grasp it however, two bonus points were acquired so a small slither of consolation…

With this game being the halfway point of the season, next week’s match against Norwich now looks critical if Brentwood want to arrest the slump and not lose pace on the top of the table where they have now dropped to third. Norwich currently sit in 10th place with 3 wins, Brentwood winning the away fixture back in September and scoring nine tries in the process, hopefully some of that form can be rediscovered.