BRAINTREE RUGBY UNION FOOTBALL CLUB 2014/15 SEASON.
Any copy queries to BRUFC Publicity Officer John Troup on 07860-179347.

OLD COOPERIANS...17 BRAINTREE...10 (London North East Two)

BRAINTREE’s hopes of kickstarting their hitherto miserable season at London NE2 bottom club Old Cooperians floundered in the Upminster mud on Saturday as they suffered an 11th successive defeat.
The Black and Ambers, boosted by the return of some of the players they lost to university at the end of summer, worked hard throughout a closely fought encounter.
But poor decision making and individual mistakes, coupled with their inability to retain the ball at the breakdown cost them dear.
Tree kicked the game off and there was little to separate the two struggling sides during the early exchanges.
However, it was Old Cooperians who drew first blood after their opponents dealt poorly with a speculative kick through.
The hosts regained possession and spread the ball wide for James Perkins to score an unconverted try in the corner and give his side a 5-0 lead.

That seemed to stun Tree into action, and after a period of sustained pressure they were unfortunate not to score from one attack.
Heartened by their dominance they forced a string of defensive penalties, one of which was taken quickly to set up a two-phase attack which ended with an unconverted try for fly-half Joss Adams.
But five minutes later the hosts regained the lead after Tree failed to hang on to the ball and scrum-half Michael Dennis crashed over to score for a 10-5 interval lead.
Playing with the slope in the second half Tree were confident of turning things around, but again the early exchanges of play were tight.
A double yellow card 12 minutes into the second period saw both teams reduced to 14 men following an unseemly tussle for the ball after the visitors were looking to take a quick tap penalty.
But Tree seemed to benefit from the extra space and quick line-out ball followed by a rolling maul saw scrum-half Elliott Dawson slip Adams in to score his second try of the game to level the scores.
With the game there for the taking the black and ambers then squandered two good scoring opportunities due to wayward passes.
Nor was their cause aided by an ultimately doomed decision to kick for the posts from a penalty on the 22 when a kick to touch to trigger a line-out catch and drive move seemed more sensible.
Inevitably the home side got their tails up and began pressuring the Braintree line, forcing another yellow card for the visitors for failing to roll away.

From the resultant penalty Old Cooperians worked the ball to Luke Taylor, who crashed over to score a try which was converted by Joe Bilton to snatch a 17-10 victory.
The home side’s players and supporters were jubilant to have gained their first win, leaving Braintree’s disconsolate troops to rue their missed chances.
Joint first team coach Brian Joslin said: “We were hoping to build on our much better display against Saffron Walden but we were unable to attain the same level of performance.
“We struggled to exert control at the breakdown where they had the upper hand and we seemed to get constantly penalised by the ref.
“Our set piece work was still pretty good and a number of players did well individually, including Josh Hine, Joss Adams, Mark Loftus and Joe Young, but as a team we were lacking again.”
Things don’t get any easier for Tree when they entertain Enfield Ignatians and their massive pack at Robbs Wood this Saturday in their final game before the Christmas and New Year break.
BRUFC: Page, Abbott, J Young, Hine, McLagan, Adams, Dawson, Coote, Douglas, Perry, Wild, Apps, Carslake, Benfield, Smillie. Reps: Loftus, Hardin, Lee.
ENDS