BRAINTREE’s 2014/15 campaign started in the worst possible fashion as they were ruthlessle put to the sword by their Norfolk visitors.

In fairness the scoreline flattered Holt somewhat, as the game was a closely contested affair throughout, but Tree’s inability to capitalise on their chances proved the game’s deciding factor.

The first half was a particularly even affair, with both sides playing some good rugby, but it was the visitors who took the lead on five minutes.

Holt were awarded a penalty between the 10-metre line and the 22 and outside centre Tom Jackson made short work of kicking his side into a 3-0 lead directly in front of the posts.

Jackson was on hand again when he charged down a poor clearance kick midway through the first half before gathering the rebound to score under the posts and then convering his own score for a 10-0 lead.

Tree huffed and puffed in a bid to get back into the game but their predicament wasn’t helped when winger Fergus Rollit-Mason had to leave the field of play on 25 minutes with a hamstring injury

As if that wasn’t disruptive enough, flanker Sam O’Sullivan was then sidelined with an ankle injury before hooker Charlie Fairchild was yellow-carded after being caught with his hands in the ruck.

That infringement resulted in a penalty to Holt which Jackson despatched to give the men from Norfolk a 13-0 interval lead.

Tree went on the offensive after the break but were unable to turn their possession into points and after weathering the storm Holt hit back with a counter-attack to knock the stuffing out of the home side.

Full-back Michael Humberston rounded off a spell of sustained pressure in Tree’s 22 by gathering a short pass to score out wide for an 18-0 lead. The conversion was missed.

A short while later another series of scrums deep in Tree territory ended with Holt number eight Ashley Woods picking up at the back of the pack.

Woods popped the ball to scrum-half Barry van Poortvliet who skipped past a couple of challenges to score the visitors’ third try and extend their lead to 23-0.

Tree then had their best chance of the game via a lively midfield break from John Smillie covering some 30 yards with George Craine in support, but the ball was lost forward in contact just short of Holt’s try line.

The visitors gathered and ran the ball all the way upfield to just short of the line, only for a forward pass to scupper what would have been a superb breakaway.

However, it was only a brief respite for Tree, as Holt won the resulting scrum against the head, with number eight Woods picking up and crashing over the line for a try that was converted by fly-half Josh Simmons.

After the game Tree’s joint coach Brian Joslin said: “It was a disappointing result but we were a lot better than the scoreline suggests and there were many positives to take from the game.

“We looked to play expansive rugby with ball in hand and we certainly deserved a score, if not two, but we just couldn’t execute the killer move when it came to the crunch.

“Our tackling was good and a definite improvement on the second half of last season, and we pressed very well when the opposition were in possession.

“But Holt were by far the bigger side and their physical advantage eventually began to show in the second half.

“We had to play people out of position this week due to the unavailability of a number of players but hopefully we’ll have some of them back next week and we can move forward.

“I can’t fault the lads for the commitment they showed though. They gave their all, particularly the front row trio, and it was only late in the game that Holt manage to make their physical advantage count.”

Tree face a difficult trip to north London on Saturday when they travel to face Enfield Ignatians, who won 14-12 away at South Woodham Ferrers in their opening game.

BRUFC: Abbott, Rollit-Mason (Evans), Masters, J Moore, Crane, D Crush, Page, Smillie, Fairchild, M Moore, Wild, Fitzearle (Aldridge), Carslake, O’Sullivan (Kerr), Spearman.