Low Road produced difficult conditions for the game with gusting icy winds resulting in broken play throughout the day and a high number of strength sapping scrums for the forwards.
Despite the conditions Harwich produced no less than fourteen tries by eleven different players, Adam Eldridge, Joe Francis and Dan Farrington bagging two a piece and one each for Oly Bray, Sam Jewell, James Cullen, Andy Hanlan, Tom Fitch, Adrian Dalby, Alfie Milne and Simon Pitham. Kicking duties were shared between Craig Wilson and Adam Eldridge managing to secure seven conversion between them.
Despite the score line it was the visitors Mersea who started the stronger the forwards dominating the Harwich pack but it wasn’t long before Harwich pace showed out wide with Simon Pitham making a decisive break offloading to Francis for Farrington to touch down in the corner.
Whilst most of the game was contested in the middle of the park forcing Harwich to attack from deep the injection of pace the Harwich attack was able to produce coupled with strong support play, forwards and backs inter passing freely across the park the home side were able to amass a solid 38 point lead at the break despite the resolute efforts of the visitors.
The Mersea commitment and enthusiasm to their credit did not waiver throughout the game making the home side earn each and every point but it was Harwich who handled the conditions the better and as the forwards got the measure of their opposite numbers creating a solid platform and creating space out wide to help further consolidate the lead as they benefited from the services of Tom Fitch and Adam Eldridge who having earned recent spells in the first string showed how their games have developed to put in sterling performances in the backs orchestrated through the vital link of Guy Williams and Francis at 9 & 10 respectively.
Harwich man of the match was awarded to Joe Francis following an outstanding performance at No.10 but the whole squad all being worthy of the accolade, O Bray (Captain), A. Hanlan, M. Sanders-Crook, R Wood, I Woodward, S Pitham, S Mills Snr, A Milne, G Williams, J Francis, D Farrington, J Cullen, T Fitch, S Jewell, C Wilson, S Woodley, A Eldridge, C Coyles, A Dalby, A Palmer.
This week Harwich Travel to fourth place Halstead.
Report by Andy Bray