H&D II 19 - 40 Maldon II

Maldon started the stronger playing a high temper narrow game with the pick up and go as the forwards ran hard and straight at the visitors who were up to the task as possession ebbed and flowed in the centre of the park between the two teams, Maldon building up a head of steam to bulldozer over the line for two unconverted tries in quick succession on the fifteenth and twentieth minutes, the only saving grace for the visitor their hosts had left their kicking boots at home as they failed to split the upright all afternoon.

Whilst solid in the forwards Maldon were a little less effective in the centres as Harwich tested their defence, exposing fragility in the middle of the park as they exposed the gap when James Cullen broke free, note quite being able to make the try line himself manged to offload to fullback Sam Jewell to touch down, Craig Wilson converting.

Harwich continued to press out wide to great effect, Dan Johnson coming close after making the break in the midfield only to be stopped close to the line shortly before taking a knock and having to leave the park to be replaced by James Shingler in the centres.

As the half way point approach Harwich suffered a cruel blow receiving two yellow cards within as many minute, losing Flanker’s Matt Green and Guy Williams in quick succession and whilst the Harwich pack were giving good account of themselves against the well drilled Maldon forwards they struggled in the set play as they missed the edge and luxury of the familiar Armchair in the second row that Richard Woods and Mike Cowley gives as well as the experience of Prop Mark Sanders-Crook all missing this week’s game but they were able to welcome back prop James Mann from injury and new comer Willem ‘smudge’ Smith into the fold who dug deep with the remaining forward to maintain the status quo at the break.

Two men down the Harwich defence was always going to be stretched which Maldon exploited to great effect to build a strong lead, probing wide saw the wing touch down soon after the restart, then it was speculative cross kicks relying on the bounce as they turned Harwich time after time and getting the rub of the green, were able them to gather the ball and take the scores to amass a strong lead the visitors would be unable to pull back.

Harwich Battled on despite the setbacks and thanks to a charge down, scrum half Ciaran Johnston was able to score his first try for the club to round off a great performance after a hard game.

Harwich are becoming a team that doesn’t die and after going down and finishing the game with only fourteen men as replacement flanker Josh Edwards was sin binned there was only pride to play for as they had the final say, Flanker Matt Green taking a arching run from his own half circumnavigating the Maldon defence to leave wing Lewis Curley for the run in, Wilson conversion to finish the game.

Team: O Bray (C), R Kemp, J Mann, W Smith, R Miller, M Green, G Williams, S Pitham, C Johnstone, C Wilson, , D Johnson, J Cullen, J Eldridge, L Kerley, S Jewell, L Durrant, S Mills Snr, J Shingler, J Edwards

This week Harwich & Dovercourt 2nd XV take the short trip to Essex University in the League.