THIRD DRAW IN FIVE GAMES

SUDBURY 14
THURROCK 14

Sudbury belied their current bottom place and deserve credit to hold Thurrock to a draw at Whittome Field on Saturday. The home side again proved they can stay with all the best in this league, another close fought game provided the large crowd with some entertaining rugby despite atrocious conditions of very heavy rain for the whole game making handling not very easy.
The game ebbed and flowed with Sudbury kicking off down the slope to start the game but knocked on giving Thurrock the opportunity to move play into Sudbury territory for the first ten minutes of the game, a pattern was emerging with the visitors kicking long at every opportunity to gain field position, rarely running at the Sudbury defence and after twenty four minutes of play caught the Sudbury offside and Jake Barrand to kick a three point lead. Chris Lewis replied immediately with a kick of his own to maintain the status quo.
Thurrock took the last five minutes of the half when Sudbury collapsed the scrum and gave away an easy penalty Barrand again put Thurrock ahead and then mounted their best move of the half to cross the line when Freddie Russo scored wide out just on half time for an unconverted try.

Sudbury ran the ball back strongly from the restart kick taking Sudbury deep into the Thurrock half but the move ended with a knock on in the tackle. Sudbury maintained the pressure and was rewarded with a kickable penalty thirty metres out which Lewis again converted. Sudbury were caught offside in defence which gave Barrand a further opportunity to kick for points to increase their lead.
Lewis again slotted over another penalty, to bring Sudbury back within five points, with 25 minutes played. Sudbury again were enjoying territorial advantage and were forcing Thurrock into mistakes, two lineouts and a scrum all in the Thurrock 22 kept the visitors under pressure resulting in a string of penalties and a quick tap penalty from close range put Ben Stanton over in corner to bring the scores level.
In the last few minutes both teams defying the weather to try and clinch the win but it was to no avail. And yes another draw that means 3 draws from the last 5 games, oh what might have been.
Thurrock host BARKING this Saturday 18th for the last game before 2017, KICK OFF IS 3.00
TEAM: WHITE, RUSSO F, COLLINS, FARRELL, BARRAND, REEVES,MITCHIE, BRUNGER, DURRANCE, HULSE, NIMMO, SHAW, PAPUNI, RUSSO C, RETIGAN REP; McDOUGALL, KIDD, MURPHY