NEW BOYS SHINE

THURROCK 50
CHELMSFORD 30

A great start to the season has a new look Thurrock ran in 8 tries to complete a fine win. The score line should have shown a much more emphatic result as they conceded 19 points in the last 8 minutes. But before that blip, the team looked an exciting outfit with the backs having some mercurial runners hypnotising the Chelmsford defence, however the forwards won a fair amount of ball both in the loose and at set piece.
Thurrock gave 1st team debuts to no less than 5 players with Jude O’Sullivan playing in the second row and Gabriel Papuni in the back row, the backs were strengthened with the addition of Troy Michie, Trent White and Rhys Collins, and the bench had Nathan Farrell back for his game since March 2015 after suffering a knee injury. The team looked strong and agile but were also missing to injury, James Flavin, Tom Pool and Jake Barrand
Tries came at regular intervals Charlie Russo capped a fine game with a brace scoring the first and last, with debutants Michie, White and Collins also going over. Captain Reece Durrance scored a fine try after missing the major part of last season’s campaign and was good to see the hard working hooker sprinting in to score, as was evergreen Bradleigh Retigan and Jamie Hulse completed the scoring.
Tom Worsfold added 5 conversions to complete the scoring.
There were some rusty moments expected in the first competitive game, Chelmsford earned themselves a point with an excellent last 10 minutes, Hoult with 2 penalties and a try had the score at 50-11 but out of nowhere Inwood showed pace to score, then Ferrier with Hoult added a conversion to the formers score. The game was over when a long penalty kick was stopped going into touch and the full back Michie kicked the ball dead, the ref however decided there was time for another play and a contentious try was awarded to give a bonus point to the visitors,the conversion was the last kick of the match