LONDON 2 NE
Top versus bottom was on the menu for the Thurrock club’s first VP lunch of the year and the league leaders kindly produced a fantastic display to record a well deserved win.
The visitors though belied their low position in the early exchanges as their big forwards kept them in the game. Earl Gorman scored an early try, which went unconverted, and Williams kicked a penalty for the Islanders. Ben Stanley then added another unconverted try but again Thurrock were pegged back by their opponents.
Thurrock backs gave away a penalty for offside, it was driven into the Thurrock 22, and resulting line out 10 metres from the home side’s line, the catch and drive from Mersea gave them a well worked try, converted from wide out by Williams, to bring Mersea level.
That however was there last real opportunity as the home side started to control the game. The forwards started winning decent ball which gave the backs space, to create and score tries. They added a further three tries before the interval with scores from Nat Farrell, Stefan North and Ben Timson, with Gorman and Reid adding a conversion each to give Thurrock a 29-10 lead at the break.
The second half as the score suggests, was one way traffic as Thurrock scored 38 unanswered points, and in doing so showed a big crowd their championship winning credentials. Tries came at regular intervals, with Nathan Farrell grabbing two more to complete his hat trick, captain Bradleigh Rettigan and full back Jamie Reid also added two tries each, and 4 of the 6 tries being converted Reid (2), Gorman (1) and replacement Ben Madden who kicked the final conversion to complete the rout.
Team Darryl Worster, Neil Wakefield, James Reid ,Earl Gorman, Nathan Farrell, Ian Rudgely, Ben Stanley, Dave Stevens, Dan Carey, Billy Smith, Andy Kettleton, Aaron Woodward, Luke Crowhurst, Ben Timson, Brad Rettigan Rep: Elliott Keefe, James Flavin, Ben Madden
This week Thurrock travel to Saffron Walden with the coach leaving the club at 11.45am, kick off is 2.15pm
