Saffron Walden RFC 25 Chelmsford RFC 1st XV Men 21

Saffron Walden 25 Chelmsford 21
Division 2 Anglia

Chelmsford will look back on this game and feel that this was a game they should have won. They had to field a reorganised back division due to injury and unavailability and then lost fly half Harry Mosely in the warm up when he turned his ankle.

Chelmsford dominated the set scrum, but the lineout was an even affair. Saffron Walden took the lead from a penalty following a collapsed scrum, but Chelmsford took the lead when Jamie Morrish crashed through under the posts to score, following a five metre lineout. Walden came back with a timed pass which released their centre to score under the posts. Chelmsford scored their second try when some slick handling released Jimmy Allway who had plenty of work to do, evading several tackles before scoring close not the corner, which Morrish converted with a very good kick. Chelmsford should really have gone on to score more using the wind and slight slope but the score remained at half time Saffron Walden 10 Chelmsford 14.

Chelmsford at the beginning of the half give too many penalties away and with Walden kicking deep, they put the Chelmsford defence under pressure. Chelmsford’s own kicking was often wasteful, and Saffron Walden piled into their forward drives scoring two tries and another penalty. It was during the first twenty minutes of the half when the game was lost. Chelmsford were not going out without a battle and they came back with a try of their own when Scott James bulldozed over following good work by the forwards. There is no fixture next week but the following week sees the visit of second place Eton Manor to Coronation Park

Match Report by Andy Green. Photos by Rob Evans.