With a winning start under their belts last week against Cheshunt, Brentwood’s first away trip of the season saw them make the trip to a much more familiar rival in the shape of Woodford on another unseasonably warm October Saturday. Woodford had also started their season with a win against their neighbours Wanstead and Brentwood knew they’d have to dig deep to get the win on the road – three of the last four fixtures here between the two had finished with less than 3 points in it and there was every chance this one was also going to be a close one…

Woodford kicked off in the dusty middle of the pitch and Brentwood had the better of the earlier exchanges but were undone by some inopportune handling errors leaving them with nothing to show for their visits to Woodford’s 22. Woodford then started to get their own game going, making inroads into Brentwood’s territory before taking a penalty opportunity just before the ten-minute mark to give them a 3-0 lead.

Whilst an early three points isn’t terminal, this seemed to swing the momentum very much in Woodford’s favour and Brentwood found themselves defending in their own 22 for a bit too long, eventually conceding the penalty which Woodford put into the corner. In terms of one of the most Brentwood things I’ve ever seen, this one has to be up there…the closest you’ll get to an own goal on a rugby field as Brentwood competed at the lineout, got a hand to the ball and batted it back over their own try line, only to be beaten to dotting it down by Woodford who pilfered the try…with the conversion 10-0.

Fortunately, with only 15 or so minutes gone, there was still ample time for Brentwood to re-group and they did so about 5 minutes later when Alex Roberts launched the counterattack from a long Woodford clearance kick, running it back straight up the middle. The tackle was made but the ball was swiftly left where Niall Clifford arched round the defence before finding George Bassenger who took play towards Woodford’s ten-metre line. Brentwood’s ball was quick again, Dan Suttle on a hard straight line which took three to bring him down, Jake Bedding going to the blindside where George Bassenger rode the tackle and freed his arms to put Luke Watson in a few inches of space, Luke tiptoeing down the touchline and returning the pass inside to Jack Mayes who skittled through a couple more defenders before being pulled to ground about 7 metres out. Louis Payne and George Miles were up next for two clattering carries before Jake Bedding put a third George, Cubitt, into a gap which he cheerfully stepped through, evading the tackle with another step to score what was a well-worked team try. Tauren Henwood added the conversion, 10-7.

On the half hour mark Brentwood took the lead after a Tauren Henwood grubber kick had been hacked on by Alex Roberts, bobbling into touch midway into Woodford’s 22. Brentwood read the lineout well (and this time not to their detriment!), George Bassenger taking a clean catch to give Brentwood back possession, Woodford conceding a penalty immediately in their haste to stop Brentwood’s attack which Brentwood opted to tap. George Miles looked to be taking the contact before offloading to his front row pal Louis Payne who barrelled forward a couple of metres and, even though Jake Bedding had to do a little housekeeping when the ball suddenly shot out between his legs, it was recycled well to George Cubitt who pulled the step and go to go between two defenders and score his second in the corner, 10-12.

Both teams had a couple of half opportunities in the last ten minutes before half time although nothing clear cut and so no further scores were added.

Brentwood’s travelling support were hoping their team would press on in the same manner as the second half started so, of course, with the half less than three minutes old Niall Clifford acquired a yellow card for a high tackle and Brentwood were down to 14 for the next ten minutes and up the stress levels started to creep…Woodford capitalised on their man advantage shortly afterwards scoring a well-worked try that saw them go through multiple phases before bursting through the middle for the score, 15-12.

Brentwood were undeterred and came back strongly, denied twice by being held up over the line in the ensuing minutes and survived the remainder of the sin bin period with no further concessions. Restored back to 15 Brentwood continued to press and added their third try after a penalty had given them a lineout opportunity 5 metres out. Andy Sutton hit George Bassenger at the tail, Brentwood looking to set the maul but instead setting Dan Suttle free on the crash, Alfie Adams taking the ball on further followed by Andy Sutton to take Brentwood right to the try line. Brentwood looked to shift it right but a mismatch on the left had been spotted, Jake Bedding picking up from the ruck and spinning round to that side, putting the pop pass in to put George Bassenger who had looped round and could spin between two defenders for the try, 15-17.

Brentwood continued to push hard for a score that would extend their lead and with Woodford conceding a lot of penalties were enjoying a fair amount of possession and territory until finally it looked like Luke Watson had made it over the try line, everyone convinced he had scored except unfortunately the man who makes the decisions and a third held up of the day for Brentwood. Brentwood did have (another…) penalty advantage but Woodford read the play and intercepted after the tap penalty, hoofing the ball downfield before chasing hard and being awarded a penalty of their own from which they took the three to pull back into the lead, 18-17, somewhere around 17 minutes to go and a Match Reporter resigned to knowing it was going to be all out stress for the duration.

Momentum shifts happen very suddenly in rugby, and this was one of them, cortisol levels soaring only minutes later as Dan Suttle saw yellow for another tackle deemed high and Woodford barged over from the penalty afterwards, the conversion giving them an eight-point lead, 25-17.

Brentwood now had a lot to do and about ten minutes to do it in a game that was starting to feel like it could elude them but mental fortitude was stronger on the pitch than amongst the doom-mongering touchline pundits; a three man effort of Luke Watson, George Bassenger and Louis Payne from the restart seeing Woodford spill the ball and Brentwood regaining possession immediately. Yet another penalty followed swiftly and this time Brentwood elected to tap, Alfie Adams carrying before taking a shoulder in the side of the face to an immediate loud blast of the referee’s whistle. Unfortunately, and whilst there was no malice in it, a shoulder to the head has been a straight red for a long time now and the referee had no choice but to brandish the card, reducing Woodford to 14 for the remainder.

Brentwood tapped again from the following penalty, Louis Payne this time going route one, Eamon Tiernan crashing on further before Niall Clifford was well marshalled. Brentwood reset, Jake Bedding with the dart, Sam Winney with a carry before Alfie Adams and the nice lump on his cheek burrowed over and with Lorcan Kelleher’s crucial conversion, 25-24 and a Match Reporter wondering if anyone had a spare inhaler…

Brentwood took the restart and went again with good ground made from Alex Roberts and Luke Watson on either wing before Brentwood put the boot on it to try and gain some territory. Woodford’s return kick was a little loose, allowing Lorcan Kelleher to run on to it at pace, Woodford going off their feet at the ruck in an effort to slow the ball down giving Brentwood a penalty opportunity which was nearly central but a reasonable distance out. The call had to be the shot at goal, but Lorcan Kelleher’s attempt drifted agonisingly wide and with Woodford taking a quick 22 which caught Brentwood napping, stress levels were now through the roof.

Back in their own 22, and with time rapidly diminishing Brentwood needed to play out and when Woodford infringed at the ruck again, it gave them the chance to put the ball further down the pitch. The lineout on Woodford’s 10-metre line was safely to James Killington at the front and the maul set, Woodford conceding another penalty which Brentwood put into touch in Woodford’s 22 and this was now the last roll of the dice…

Brentwood mauled and then began going through their phase play until George Bassenger was tipped beyond the horizontal in the tackle directly in front of the posts, penalty Brentwood, and with time now up, this was it…Up stepped Lorcan Kelleher once again for the pressure kick as the touchline collectively held its breath…and straight through the middle it went, elation for Brentwood and a Match Reporter who needed a large glass of wine and a lie down in a dark room…25-27 and full time.

For Brentwood this was a spirited performance where, as a team, they really came together to pull back the win when it looked to be slipping away against a good Woodford team. At times things still looked a little rusty but two bonus point wins to start the season now leaves Brentwood as one of only three teams to achieve this after round 2 – it’s going to be a very competitive league again!

Next week, Brentwood entertain Harlow at King George’s who, so far, have had a narrow opening day loss to Thurrock and a large win against Bury St Edmunds IIs. Brentwood won both the home and away fixtures last season and whilst the end scorelines looked comfortable, large swathes of the game were not, Harlow a good attacking team who have proved to be very capable of shredding defences so another tough fixture as Brentwood hope to make it three on the bounce.