BRAINTREE RUGBY UNION FOOTBALL CLUB 2016/17 SEASON.
Any copy queries to BRUFC Publicity Officer John Troup on 07860-179347.

MILLWALL...13 BRAINTREE...39 (Canterbury Jack Essex 1 Prem)

CHAMPIONS elect Braintree maintained their 100 per cent league record with a fine bonus point win on the Isle of Dogs in east London.
Millwall proved on their recent visit to Robbs Wood that they were a decent outfit who had the potential to spring an upset.
But the black and ambers were in no mood to relinquish their perfect stats for the Canterbury Jack Essex 1 campaign and swept the Londoners aside with one of their best performances of the season.
Millwall gave an early indication of their intent when they were awarded a scrum penalty after just two minutes when Tree pushed them off the ball and turned over possession.
It was the first of 15 penalties the home side were awarded in the first – the visitors only got one – and their kicker made the best of the howling gale at his back to put his side 3-0 up.
Six minutes later the visitors were penalised again for not releasing in the tackle and another well taken wind-assisted kick saw them extend their lead to 6-0.
It wasn’t until the 16th minute that Tree finally got some ball and were able to put a few phases of play together which finished with prop Max Turner crashing over. 6-5.
The black and ambers eventually edged in front on the half hour mark when, despite being a man down to a yellow card, a kick to touch from Craig Willis put them in a strong attacking position.
Tree won clean ball at the line out and fed it through the hands back to Willis to enable the inside centre to crash over and then kick the conversion to give his side a 12-6 lead.
But just as they seemed to be taking control Millwall’s long re-start kick was fumbled and the home side’s backs capitalised to score a converted try of their own to give them a 13-12 interval lead.
With the wind and the sloping pitch in their favour after the break Tree were determined to make hay and pressed hard from the whistle, dominating the scrums.
On 49 minutes a long spell of pressure forced a series of infringements by the hosts, who were finally awarded a penalty try which Willis converted to put his side 19-13 ahead.
Further pressure straight from re-start saw play move straight back into home 22, with Tree’s forwards picking and driving relentlessly to put open side flanker Mike Benfield in for a try. 13-24.
Millwall weren’t spent as an attacking force and the visitors had to do a fair bit of defending to prevent them crossing the white line.
But second row replacement Dan Johnston proved pivotal in sealing the game as he crashed over for a brace of tries on 65 and 70 minutes to stretch Tree’s lead to 34-13.
The game was sealed when a deft chip through by fly half Josh Hine saw a foot race between centre James Abbott and full back Dominic Dann, with the former touching down to seal a 39-13 win.
BRUFC chair of selectors David Gilder said: “It was a very satisfying win. During the first half of the season we looked at the results in Essex 1a and Millwall were flying.
“We lost away to them last season albeit when we were suffering from a lot of injuries and always thought this would be our toughest test.
“They played the sloping pitch and windy conditions well in the first half, but we were definitely the better side and when we were creating phases with ball in hand we were too strong for them.”
BRUFC Joint Coach Brian Joslin said: “This was probably our toughest challenge so far this season against the side which finished top of Essex 1A.
“To come away with 39-13 victory is a good gauge of the improvement we have made this season. It was another great team performance with all 18 players putting in a shift.
“Our forwards were dominant from start to finish, led superbly by captain John Smillie. The front row were outstanding as was Mikey Benfield in the back row
“It was also good to see Darren Page back at scrum-half and he played at a high tempo for 70 minutes after returning from a long break with injury.”
Tree entertain Stanford-le-Hope at Robbs Wood this Saturday in what will be their last home league fixture of the season.
BRUFC: Dann, Drew, Abbott, Willis, Crane, Hine, Page, Perry, W Turner, M Turner, Apps, Fitzearle, Carslake, Benfield, Smillie. Reps: Johnston, Moss, Lee.
• Braintree IIs Merit Table Plate Semi-Final did not take place when opponents Upminster pulled out at lunch time on Friday. Tree got a bye to the final and await the identity of their opponents, but Upminster’s no-show left more around 20 players kicking their heels in frustration at the clubhouse.