Match Report vs Southend

This week, Brentwood faced the stern test of travelling to league leaders Southend; unbeaten since the opening day of the season and to whom they had lost narrowly at Brentwood back in November.

It was a bright start for Brentwood, Lewis Pratley pilfering the ball at the end of a Southend lineout on halfway setting the wheels in motion for an excellent opening try. The ball was shipped quickly into midfield, Tom Walker crashing it up followed by George Bassenger who made some more hard yards before a neat reverse pass from Colby Dobson from the ruck saw the onrushing Eamon Tiernan break down the blindside and get the offload off to Tom Fahy in the tackle. Tom hared up to the 22, drawing the defender before passing to the supporting Luke Watson who turned on the burners up the wing, rounding the attempted cover to get over the line and dot down under the posts. Jamie Cox’s conversion gave Brentwood a 0-7 lead with 7 minutes gone.

Southend immediately put the pressure back on, a good restart causing Brentwood issues and forcing them to concede the penalty, giving Southend a platform deep in the 22 and a further penalty from Eamon Tiernan saw him sent to the bin for ten minutes. Southend were belligerent in their attempts at Brentwood’s line, but Brentwood defended well, forcing a maul attempt to be held up over the line and some pugnacious tackling out wide thereafter stopping Southend on two further occasions. However, the pressure had to tell eventually; some smart play off the back of a scrum allowing Southend’s winger enough space to jink over, 5-7.

Brentwood though fired back straight away. The lineout from Southend’s restart clearance well drilled to James Killington at the front, Tom Fahy and Andy Sutton carrying prominently before Tauren Henwood stepped and ghosted through the tiniest of gaps in Southend’s line before managing to drag himself and the defender desperately clinging to his shirt over for the try, with Jamie’s conversion 5-14.

Brentwood now had their tails up and were playing the better rugby of the two teams, Southend also seeing some yellow of their own after a cheap shot on the floor, but frustratingly could not convert it into points; a kickable penalty just drifting wide and a golden opportunity going begging a few minutes later when the ball was turned over with the tryline begging. Brentwood cracked on though and another penalty put them in a good lineout position, a strong maul splintering Southend and with numbers on the right it looked for all intents that Brentwood should stroll in for their third. Outnumbered, Southend’s lone defender went for broke and the intercept which sadly for Brentwood he pulled off with aplomb, going the length to score in the corner and, with the conversion, Brentwood went from looking certain to score to having their lead cut to 2, 12-14.

There was still time in the half for two further yellow cards, one apiece – a high tackle for Southend and a pull back at a tap penalty by Colby Dobson for Brentwood plus another Brentwood three-point opportunity just going wayward before the whistle was blown for half time.
Whatever was said to Southend at half time clearly had an effect as they came flying out of the blocks for the second half, scoring within the first two minutes to take the lead for the first time 19-14.

Brentwood then really paid the price for a very sluggish start to half when less than five minutes later Southend added another from a well worked backs move off of a scrum just outside the 22, 26-14.

Brentwood though didn’t let their heads drop and hit back with another try of their own after a bouncing ball had found Ewan May who cut into the midfield to somehow evade four defenders in a congested area giving Brentwood great go forward. The ball was taken on one more by Eamon Tiernan before going left to Tom Fahy who brushed off the attempted tackle attempt and had the pace to get over the line, 26-19.
Southend though are masters at playing their own pitch and with their breathing space on the scoreboard reduced opted to play sensible rugby; some excellent tactical kicking keeping Brentwood largely pinned in their own half and, whilst Brentwood did look dangerous still at moments, possession and territory was scarce.

The game was put out of Brentwood’s reach with less than ten minutes to go when another scrum in nearly the same position yielded the same result for Southend, except this time with a blindside move that Brentwood couldn’t stop, 33-19.

Brentwood did keep plugging away but unfortunately just couldn’t get the try they needed to secure potentially two bonus points that they absolutely would have deserved, although there was time for Jamie Cox to add to the yellow card tally…and with full time the end of their 5 game winning streak.

Whilst a loss, for Brentwood this was another strong performance and one that you felt had a couple of things gone more fortuitously in Brentwood’s favour, would have gone down to the wire.

Next week Brentwood dust themselves off for their final home league game of the season against bottom of the league Norwich. Brentwood won the reverse fixture 40-25 but cannot be complacent and will need to bring their form of recent weeks if they want to get back to winning ways in front of what is expected to be a big family fun day home crowd.