IMPRESSIVE Braintree stormed to the top of London North East Two with
a well deserved victory which maintained their perfect start to the
season.
Saffron Walden’s surprise home defeat to Ipswich enabled Tree to seize
pole position from their Essex rivals with a fine display of forward
power in heavy conditions.
But they pushed hard by newly promoted Beccles, who will prove more
than a match for many teams at the Beef Meadow.
Once again the Black and Ambers took a while to get going and they
fell behind after only three minutes when a kick to touch put them
under early pressure.
The ball was won by the home side’s forwards who took it on before
feeding it to Aussie winger Josh Rayner who scored an unconverted try
in the corner.
Conceding points so early in the game stung the visitors into action
and they hit back five minutes later with the first of their four
tries.
Tree won possession after fly-half Chas Monk kicked deeped into
Beccles territory and pulled a blindside move which ended with prop
Jamie Prince’s third try in as many games.
Monk converted the score to give his side a 7-5 lead which they
extended on 23 minutes when winger Tom Green made good ground.
The big wing slipped a well-timed pass to inside centre Craig Willis
who crashed over to score an unconverted try and ease his side to a 12-
5 advantage.
Seven minutes later the Suffolk side reduced the deficit courtesy of
inside centre Luke Wade’s well hit penalty.
But Tree went 17-8 in front on 33 minutes when flanker Steve Bentley
barrelled over from close range following a catch and drive move from a
line-out.
First half stoppage time brought more drama as outside centre Joe
Young, another 17-year-old debutant for Tree, was yellow-carded after
being deemed not to have rolled away from a tackle.
It seemed a harsh punishment, particularly when Wade stepped up to
kick a second penalty for the hosts which saw them head in to the
changing rooms just six points behind.
The second half was only two minutes old when Beccles clawed their way
back to within a point of the visitors.
The hosts spread the ball wide to winger Rayner who slipped a pass
inside to Leigh Gedney, enabling the outside centre to score an
uncoverted try in the corner.
Tree rang the changes with Nick McClements and Daryl Coote coming on
as replacements and struck the killer blow on 62 minutes.
Following a long period of pressure deep inside Beccles 10-metre line
the ball finally found its way to Young who capped a fine performance
and banished the bitter taste of the sin bin with a debut try.
Monk’s conversion gave Tree a 24-16 lead before Monk added a 70th
minute penalty to finish the day’s scoring.
The black and ambers closed out the game comfortably, with only a late
yellow card awarded for stamping against hooker Stevie Sewell troubling
the ref’s notebook in the closing stages.
BRUFC Chairman of Selectors Jeff Lewis said: “It was a good win and we
deserve to be top of the table, even if it is very early in the season.
“We knew it would be hard against Beccles on their own pitch and we
had to be on our mettle to secure the points, so it was fantastic to
see the lads produce such an accomplished display.
“The two teenage debutants played superbly and there’s a real buzz
about the team at the moment, with real competition for places. It all
bodes well for the forthcoming games.”
Tree are back in London NE2 action on Saturday when Ipswich make the
short journey across the county boundary to Robbs Wood for a game that
will be preceeded by a luncheon.
BRUFC: Adams, Green, Young, Willis, N Ashford, Monk, Martindale, Baker
(Coote 55), Sewell, Prince, Johnson (McClements 52), Loftus, Carslake,
Bentley, Smillie (T Ashford 72).

ENDS