Thurrock 28 v 22 Walsham
THURROCK have made things harder for themselves all season and on a sunny day at Oakfield was no exception. Thurrock started the game well and within in the first minute had a scoring opportunity that went begging and were quickly made to rue the chance has the visitors in their first attack used there forward power to score a converted try. A quick reposte from the home side was needed and centre Earl Gorman used his strength to burst through the Walsham defence to score albeit unconverted.
The remaining of the half saw the home side on the front foot keeping Thurrock pinned in there own half with some fine kicking. Two further tries one of which was converted and a last minute penalty put the visitors well and truly in the driving seat.
Thurrock have always all season stuck to there task used the advantage of the elements with good cause, Alistair McKenzie had replaced the injured Dan Carey just before the break and had started to dominate the scrum, and Jake Barrand added a penalty from an infringement in the scrum. The momentum had swung and the home were encamped in the visitors half.
Tom Worsfold executed a planned move under the posts with aplomb and Barrand added a conversion then a further penalty and all of a sudden at 22-18 Thurrock had a sniff of victory. A fine 50 metre run from winger Freddie Russo see him hauled down inches from the line but he was well supported by Barrand and was able to offload the ball to latter who touched down and Thurrock were in the lead for the first time by one point at 23-22
But the home side were not finished and in injury time they went for the bonus point try, and from a line out the forwards catch and drive they went over and Ross Noakes was the man with the ball in his hand for his first Thurrock try, there was time for the game to restart but Thurrock collected the ball made sure of touch the whistle went for what was in the end a deserved victory by 28-22
