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

CLACTON...10 BRAINTREE...53 (Canterbury Jack Essex 1B)

SWASHBUCKLING Braintree stretched their lead at the top of Canterbury Jack Essex 1B to eight points with a convincing 53-10 demolition of Clacton on Saturday.
The black and ambers were always going to face a sterner test than the one local rivals Witham posed them following their 97-0 victory the previous weekend.
But Tree are a side in form and even Clacton’s well-drilled forwards found them too hot to handle despite a spirited display in the set plays and at the breakdown.
The visitors gave an early indication as to their attacking intent when they ran the ball straight back into their opponents’ 22 from the kick-off.
Despite knocking on during their first attack Tree put enormous pressure on the resulting Clacton scrum and earned a penalty after forcing the opposition front row to come up.
The ever dependable did the honours with the boot to put his side 3-0 ahead with only two minutes gone.
Seven minutes later Tree extended their lead when veteran hooker Stevie Sewell turned over ball at a maul and broke away before feeding captain John Smillie.
The powerful number eight crashed over the line to score with Willis converting to give his side a 10-0 lead.
By now Tree had the bit between their teeth and on 14 minutes second row Tom Carslake scored from tidied-up ball after a scrappy line-out, Willis converting. 0-17.
Clacton then had 10 minutes of play where their strengths came to the fore, utilising some good possession to roll out their catch and drive game.
They reduced the arrears on 18 minutes with a converted try (7-17) but their up-field exertions appeared to take a lot out of their heavy front five.
Tree were ruthless and drove their hosts onto the back foot again with a sustained spell of pressure which ended when Carslake scored his second try, Willis converting again. 7-24.
Clacton kept the visitors honest with a successful penalty on the half-hour (10-24), but three minutes later a strong run by tight-head Jamie Prince saw him just held up over the line.
Tree won the resulting scrum and fed the ball to winger Fergus Rollit-Mason who scored in the corner. 10-29.
Clacton kicked straight to touch from the re-start and good ball from the scrum which followed saw outside centre Joss Adams score after good interplay with his fellow backs.

The successful conversion from Willis put Tree 36-10 to the good moments before the half-time whistle sounded.
After the break play became a bit disjointed with a couple of long injury breaks and both benches coming into play.
After coming close in the first half Prince wasn’t to be denied and crossed the try line to score on 48 minutes after yet another strong ball-carry. 10-41.
By now Tree were rampant and Adams notched his second try mid-way through the half after another huge scrum led to yet another scrum penalty.
A long kick to touch and possession from the following line-out saw the ball fed through the backs to see Adams in, Willis converting for a 48-10 advantage.
By the time Tom Drew dived over the line after another five-metre scrim late on to stretch his side’s lead to 53-10 the hosts were beginning to look shell-shocked.
BRUFC Joint Coach Brian Joslin said: “It was a great team performance and everyone put in a great shift from one to 18.
“Jamie Prince had a great game, scrummaging really well and proving very strong with the ball in his hands, and Wes Apps and Dan Johnson also impressed.
“In the backs Josh Hine, Craig Willis and Joss Adams ran riot in the three quarters and Craig was lethal with the boot.
“Clacton are a decent side and they caused us all kinds of problems last season but with a combination of strong defence, ruthless scrummaging and hard running we nullified them.”
Tree return to Essex 1B action next Saturday when they make the short journey south to face fourth-placed Writtle Wanderers.
• Braintree’s second XV capped a fine weekend for the club with an impressive 22-5 home victory over Woodford IIIs.
BRUFC: Dann, Rollit-Mason, Adams, Willis, Abbott, Hine, Page, Baker, Sewell, Prince, Carslake, Apps, Moss, W Turner, Smillie. Replacements: Johnston, Drew, Jones.