T's see in the new year with Victory

THE LONG awaited Essex derby, delayed from 19th December, when frozen off, turned into a rout thanks to clinical finishing that enabled Thurrock to remain 5 points clear at the top with a nine- try demolition.

Thurrock were quickly into their stride and fine opening quarter see them turn pressure into points, Earl Gorman went over to open the scoring quickly followed by Darryl Worster with Jamie Reid converting the latter’s try to give the visitors a 12-0 lead. Thurrock continued to press and a quick tapped penalty by Jamie Reid see him spring through under the posts, and it was Gorman again who broke through a number of tackles to score near the posts, he added the conversion himself and Thurrock were now 24-0 ahead.

Romford finally got into their stride and put Thurrock onto the back foot but good defending in their own 22 kept the home side at bay despite being reduced to 14 men for the last 7 minutes of the half as prop Dave Stevens was yellow carded for pulling down a rolling maul, and despite lots of huffing and puffing by the Romford pack they held firm.

A reshuffled backline due to Andy Eaton crying off meant that centre, Ben Stanlry stood in at scrum half. Romford spent most of the second half with the ball, but Thurrock who when having the ball in hand were very clinical, as Bradleigh Rettigan picked up from No 8 and sprinted 60 metres to score wide of the posts.

It seemed that every time Thurrock had the ball they looked like scoring, and they did cross the line on four more occasions, Nathan Farrell, added a score as did first half try scorers of Earl Gorman who completed his hat trick, Darryl Worster added another as did Jamie Reid, Gorman added 1 conversion and replacement Ben Madden added two to complete the scoring. Romford scored a consolation try mid way through the second half. Another job well done