COLCHESTER 16 CHINGFORD 10

London League division one north

This exciting match between fourth-placed Colchester and visitors Chingford, lying third in the league, was a nail-biting clash as both teams chase what looks now likely to be the play-off promotion slot.

Chingford had lost the reverse fixture in October – by one point to a last-minute Chris Withers penalty And they suffered the same fate again –this time to a last-minute try securing a memorable victory for the hosts giving Colchester their third win in as many Saturdays.

Jako Nell, Tom Crozier and Jack Wiggins returned for Colchester while Chingford saw the return of influential fly-half Hayward in a rejigged back division.

A strong diagonal wind proved difficult for either side to master – with both sides scoring more points playing into it than against it.

The game started with both sides testing out the opposition defences, which held up well, and for the first 30 minutes there was stalemate.

Many penalties were given away by both sides and Chingford’s fly-half Duncan Hayward came close in the windy conditions before Withers converted his chance at the other end to give Colchester a 3-0 lead.

The visitors with Hoad, Campbell and Gavan to the fore drove forward with ball in hand eventually forcing the gap in a move finished by flanker Oliver Hoad near the posts.

Hayward converted to give Chingford a 7-3 lead.

In a hotly contested game, referee Crispin Davis kept control by awarding many penalties and reversed no less than four due to back-chat from both sides.

One such, this time to Colchester, was converted by Damian Brambly taking over kicking duties when Withers retired injured to bring the score closer at 6-7.

On the stroke of half-time another attempt rebounded off the post.

Soon after the restart Chingford were awarded a penalty on Colchester’s 22 metre line and Hayward made no mistake to take the score to 6-10.

There followed a period of intense pressure from both sides trying to find a chink in their opponent’s defence.

The Colchester backs were probing everywhere but the Chingford defence held firm and there seemed to be no way through.

Then Colchester successfully breached the opposition defence, moved the ball to the left and crashed over in the corner only for captain James Mitchell’s try to be disallowed as the referee was unsighted.

Undeterred Colchester again attacked the visitor’s line.

Campbell, Chingford’s number seven, was yellow-carded for a high tackle and Brambley made no mistake with the penalty bringing the hosts to within one point at 9-10.

Again Colchester drove back and some chinks appeared in the Chingford defence as the home side’s fitness started to pay dividends in the last ten minutes.

But the visitors camped in the home 22 and it looked for all the world like the crucial score was not to come for Colchester.

But for the first time in the match their line-out faltered, Dan Whiteman stole it and drove out of the 22 – only to concede a penalty – which was reversed for Chingford back chat.

This was just the break Colchester needed and they drove upfield, tireless work, particularly in the forwards with Andy Chevalier, Elliott Castle, Ollie White and Whiteman to the fore, got them to within five metres of the line where Brett Cutbush, at scrum-half, picked up the ball from the back of the ruck and dived over for the match-winning try.

Brambley converted and there no time left for any visitors reply.