This was a very important game for Chelmsford as they had yet to register a win this season in this highly competitive league. Chelmsford again were without several influencial players do to injury and unavailability but they finished comprehensive victors, although they caused the Chelmsford supporters some worries along the way.
Chelmsford played up the slope in the first half and played some controlled rugby with Hoult controlling the game from fly half. He was making good use of his boot kicking sensibly, keeping the ball in front of his forwards. The Chelmsford pack were dominating the scrums and making considerable ground driving up the middle of the pitch and from such a raid Sudbury were penalised and Hoult struck through the posts from 40 metres. Within minutes Chelmsford went further ahead when good inter linking play from the forwards saw Hyett and Woods link to feed Wooldrige who went to score between the posts. Hoult duly converted to make it a comfortable 10=0 after twenty minutes.
To Sudbury’s credit they came back at Chelmsford almost immediately. They won a scrum in the centre of the field and fed the blind side, with apparent ease they relayed the ball wide to score a simple try by the Sudbury centre. Chelmsford’s coaching team will be asking questions as to the team’s alignment and the speed at which the back row covers. For the rest of the half Chelmsford seldom looked in trouble. With the wind and the slope in their favour in the second half victory seemed inevitable. Score at half time 10=7
Chelmsford started the second half in lazy fashion, they lost the ball direct from the kick off and their ball retention was not always secure. The game was punctuated by several breaks due to injury, one of which saw the Sudbury carried off on a stretcher with a leg injury. As the game wore on Chelmsford encamped in the Sudbury 22 meter areas. At one stage there were four scrums on the Sudbury line in a succession. A resolute Sudbury defence held them at bay. A driving maul try for Chelmsford was disallowed for a previous offence. With seven minutes to go it was still very close and the Chelmsford supporters were getting nervous
Again, after considerable pressure, the ball was launched wide and with having the Sudbury defence out numbered Sam Bensusan was released to score. Bensusan, not a regular in the Chelmsford first team, had a particularly good game, always looking dangerous and sound in defence. With minutes to 17=10 looked the final score. Direct from the kick off the ball was passed wide, giving the ball to Jack Acorn to score in the corner. The conversion was taken immediately and there were only seconds to go from the restart. The ball was quickly relayed to the backs who interplayed the ball the length of the pitch before Acorn in a melee of bodies dived in the corner. This was, of course, the fourth try of the game for Chelmsford and gave them the bonus point. It marked Jack Acorns second try, he also had a fine game. Final score 29-7
Eddie Gooby,Chelmsfords Director of coaching, said ‘The win was the most important thing, we played controlled rugby in the first half but got anxious in the second, and Sudbury put up a great defence. Getting the bonus point was totally unexpected as we needed three tries with less than than ten minutes to go. We must build on this, but we sustained more injuries today which continues to make things difficult.
Next week Chelmsford visit Old Priorians