THURROCK suffered a heartbreak defeat at Oakfield on Saturday, it was a game that could have gone either way, in the end the visitors edged it, but Thurrock with 3 first choice second rows missing through injury, and prop Seb Rate crying off the morning of the match with illness, the pack was hastily reshuffled. Luke Crowhurst, normally a back row player stepped up to the second row, and he was joined by evergreen Lee Herrington, and John Murphy made his hooking debut after joining from Colchester. But the pack played brilliantly and although against a larger pack they out scrimmaged, and competed well in the line out.

Mark Brandon put the home side in front with a well taken penalty, after the home side endured an opening spell of pressure coming away without Chingford scoring. But the Thurrock lead was short lived, as pressure told and despite some brave last ditch tackles visiting winger Gaze got over in the corner, Hayward then kicked the conversion wide out of the post, little did the crowd know that the piece of fortune would be the difference at the end. Brandon got another penalty bang on the half time whistle so the teams turned round with just a point between them.

Chingford as they did in the opening exchanges came out better, and series of unforced errors and penalties put Thurrock on the back foot and Stefan North was given a yellow card after the referees patience was finally tested, Chingford added their second try through Kells, and a further Hayward penalty see them cruise to 16-6 lead. But Thurrock at home do just not lie down, they came back now with a full compliment and put Chingford under sustained pressure, the forwards coming up a great try scored by James Flavin, Brandon added the conversion and it was game on in the final five minutes. But Thurrock could not create an opening either a try penalty attempt or a drop goal after encamping in the Chingford half and despite a brave performance it was not to be.