Eastern Counties Rugby Union

Match Report: Alasdair Bovaird

Eastern Counties under 18s won a pulsating encounter against next door neighbours Essex at Shelford on Sunday, outscoring their visitors by five tries to four in a high quality game in which the lead changed hands five times.

With the London division selectors watching, both sides were eager to impress and early exchanges were nervy. Essex opened the scoring after 10 minutes with Essex no 3, Harker, scoring from short range and fly half Henwood adding the extras for a 7-0 lead. Both sides then began to settle into their game plans, with scrums evenly contested and lineouts proving challenging for both sides in windy conditions. It was from a lineout close to the halfway line that Eastern Counties struck back after 25 minutes, with winger Oguniesi making good ground before feeding inside to full back Jack Trundley to score close to the posts. With Hughes successful conversion the scores were level, 7-7. Trundley returned the favour six minutes later as Oguniesi came off his right wing to add an extra player to Eastern Counties attack on the left, putting Trundley clear before a return pass from the full back put Oguniesi in for a score under the posts. The conversion was charged down, so the score as half time approached was 12-7 to the home side.

However Essex were not to be denied as they reclaimed the ball from line-out and set up a driving maul which overwhelmed the home defence on the stroke of half time for a classic forwards try. The conversion was good, and the sides turned around with the visitors leading 14-12.

The second half opened with a further Essex try, scored by no 18, Teddy Moss, converted by centre Dearman to take the visitors lead to nine points. Both sides were competing well, with Essex at this stage gaining the upper hand in scrums, but Eastern Counties winning turnover after turnover, and after fifteen minutes of the second half, loose head prop Tom Jermy brought the home side within four points. The conversion hit the crossbar, 17-21. Eastern Counties added a further try after 25 minutes to take the lead by a single point but the conversion was once again missed.

As the game entered its final stages there was all to play for. Substitutes provided fresh energy to both teams and with five minutes to play one of the Essex replacements, no 23 Mark Ikifa showed tremendous elusive footwork to put the visitors back in the lead 22-26. And so Eastern Counties pressed for the victory, knowing they needed only one score but with the clock against them. With most spectators believing time was up, and with Essex having repelled several attacks, the breakthrough came when Conor Clarke broke through to score the decisive try and with Rees-Jones adding the extras the final whistle blew with the home side in front 29-26. Eastern Counties just about deserved their victory, bit both sides played high quality, skilful rugby providing great entertainment for the watching crowd and much for the London selectors to ponder before the next set of matches at Harlow RFC on 16 December.