Rugby: Triumphant Thurrock move closer to the title

Date posted: 12-03-2012

Letchworth 19 v 27 Thurrock

THURROCK took to the road for third consecutive week and probably their most important victory to now have promotion within touching distance. The game was won in the opening quarter in what was undoubtedly some the best rugby played by Thurrock all season.

Letchworth seemed to be fired up for this clash but it seemed to work against them as they were like rabbits stuck looking into the headlights. Frankie Neale steadied the Thurrock nerves with a penalty, before Mike Stanley ghosted through a non existence defence to score just wide of the posts, Neale added the extra’s with the conversion and Thurrock were flying. Everything they tried came off and soon after, a Ruck in the midfield just opened up for No8 Bradleigh Rettigan to sprint 25 metres to score under the posts, Neale again adding the conversion. Thurrock continued to press and the try of the game as a set move worked with Ian Rudgeley’s delicate chip perfectly weighted for the onrushing Michael Stanley to score under the posts, Neale had the easiest of conversions to give the visitors a 24-0 lead.

From the restart Thurrock protected the ball well and won another penalty, but this was reversed thanks to an unnecessary punch, Thurrock’s Dritan Loka was given 10 minutes in the bin and it gave the home side a change of impetus which they gratefully accepted with a converted try, to reduce the deficit to 24-7 at the break.

Letchworth came out in the second half all guns blazing, but many strange interpretations of the laws by the referee, it became very much a stop start affair, Thurrock scored what looked for a perfectly fine try which was disallowed for a technical infringement after the ball had gone, and this was the pattern for rest of the game, a converted home side try edged them back more in game but cool headed Frankie Neale slotted a penalty to extend the lead a bit further. Letchworth did score another unconverted try, but ran out of steam as Thurrock closed out the game with 14 men as Josh Cook was binned for persistent talking. In the end a great victory and mathematically now require 6 points from 4 games to take the title.

TEAM: Neale, Farrell, B.Stanley, M.Stanley, Boshell, Rudgeley (Gorman), Cook North, Durrance, Bevans-Royston, Loka, Flavin, Timson, Russo, Rettigan

This next league game is at Oakfield on Saturday 24th March when Thurrock entertain CHINGFORD. Kick off is at 3.00pm

This Sunday Thurrock travel Barking for the semi-final of the ESSEX CUP, kick off is 3pm

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