2s edge out top of the table Thurston

The day saw young 17 year old Ben Jones start his first game at fly-half for the hosts as they continue to blood their youngsters.
Harwich started the game well adapting to the conditions as they soaked up the Thurston advances with full back Sammy Male using his boot and playing the territorial game pinning the visitors in their 22.

With both sides striving to take advantage in the game in the opening stages it was the home side edging it as they came close to scoring with a missed kick at goal, but it was the hard work from the training ground which eventually broke the deadlock with Harwich securing line-out ball for man of the Match Rob Kemp to work his way over the line for the first try of the game. Harwich were unfortunately unable to convert.

The Harwich front row of Mark Green, Rob Kemp and Sandy Sanders Crook proving to be the superior force dominated providing a great platform in the set piece, together with the rest of the pack who were putting in a solid performance making the hard yards.

Thurston demonstrated why they are top of the table as they showed their resilience securing a penalty in front of the posts which was converted leaving the home side with a fragile 5-3 lead in this tight encounter.

Again with the weather dominating proceedings it was time for the forwards to take the lead sticking the ball up their jumper worked for the team which produced some great running displays by veteran No.8 Richard Miller and fellow forwards Mike Cowley and Simon Pitham. Gaining the territorial advantage a resulting driving maul found Sean Mills Snr in procession of the Ball and with great patience and a little guidance from Lock Jim Hayter saw Mills cross the line for 5 points the Conversion was unsuccessful.

Thurston responded as they shipped the ball wide to evade the would-be defence for a try of their own in reply which was successfully converted keeping honour even at 10-10.

To the disappointment of the Harwich side they were forced to play uncontested scrums due to Thurston injury taking away the advantage of their dominance in the scrum and disrupting their play as both teams pushed for the win in a very close game.

Having gained ground Harwich then found themselves with a penalty in the closing minutes of the games, up stepped ever reliable Sammy Male with his golden kicking boots to convert the opportunity for what was to be the final score of the games, Harwich road their luck as the game closed out with Thurston missing a penalty kick opportunity and being award an uncontested scrum 5 metres out which required a dogged defence to contain.

Side-lined through Injury for the remainder of the season Harwich Captain Oly Bray was forced to orchestrate the Harwich effort from the side line and said his side showed character to grind out a great win.

This week Harwich travel to their local rivals Essex University KO 2.30

Report by Andy Bray