COLCHESTER 38 RUISLIP 25

London League division one north

Boosted by an encouraging performance at Westcliff the previous Saturday Colchester got back to their winning ways at a cold and windy Mill Road. Ricky McFarlane returned as hooker after a four-month injury lay-off and James Crozier started at full-back in place of the injured Nick Flexman.

Joe McMillan got a start in the front row and the Pickett brothers, Liam and Ollie, returned to the back five.

For 50 minutes the home side played some scintillating rugby, scoring five tries and taking a bonus point winning lead of 38-8.

But Ruislip were not going to lie down and concede any more and came back to dominate the last 30 minutes, scoring three tries and earning themselves a well-deserved bonus point.

Colchester went on the attack from the kick-off.

Following a long kick for position, they won their line-out ball and fed fly-half Chris Withers who scythed through the defence before offloading to Calum Irvine and on to Damien Brambley, who raced in for a score under the posts.

Wither added the concersion.

There was no stopping Colchester’s momentum.

Withers broke through again and the ball went through several hands with Nick Cooper-Hicks scoring another converted try under the posts.

Ruislip soon replied with a good series of moves to put full-back Phil Grehan over for an unconverted try.

Colchester came straight back and with fine work by their back row took the ball back into the visitors’ half.

The move was finished by winger Jack Wiggins who went round the opposition to go under the posts; Withers again converted.

Ruislip responded well and a converted penalty brought the score to 21-8.

Just before half-time Colchester were unlucky not to score following a charge after a kick that went under the posts only for a defender to get his hand on it first.

The second half started with two quick scores.

First Irvine went in after good running by John Vine and then prop MacMillan stepped on the gas for 30 metres after a break by Dan Whiteman.

At this stage Colchester were 38-8 in the lead and looked out of sight.

But Ruislip had other ideas, flanker Chris Rowe scored in the corner and then prop Barry Lockwood scored bringing the score to 38-18.

Then, not for the first time, Ruislip’s forwards rumbled through from a five-metre line-out and Joe White scored a converted try in the corner.