Last Saturday Harwich & Dovercourt 2nd XV welcomed Brightlingsea to Low Road, for a game where the players wanted to prove to themselves and supporters that they can compete at this level.
The game started at a quick pace with tries exchanged between teams, with both H&D centres in Elliott Hawken and Daniel Johnson going over to touch down. At half time Brightlingsea had the upper hand on the score leading 12-21, with the H&D supporters fearing the worse after consecutive heavy defeats.
However, the boys came out fired up after the break and Ryan Boyne quickly scored to close the gap, before Brightlingsea responded with a try of their own. With the away team back to be being more than a converted try, Harwich began to focus and play their own brand of rugby, controlled by their number 10, Tim Coyles, who was playing his first game back after ten years. The home team scored 6 tries via Ian Flook, Leigh Monk, Keiran Green, Dave Warren, Richard Miller and Jack Mulligan, without further answer and took total control of the match.
Pick of the tries was the try by Richard Miller following a scrum where a dominant H&D pack walked the Brightlingsea forwards back over their line, for the Harwich number 8 to just dot down.
Special mention goes to Cameron Griggs playing his last game for the club (for now anyway). He was match day captain and kicked the last conversation making the final score 49-28.
The 2nd XV have known from the outset that they would have to step up individually and as a team this season and this performance and result are justified reward for the great team spirit and resilience they’ve shown in recent weeks.
Report by Dave Warren