Chelmsford 39 Woodford 26
London North East 2
Chelmsford scored another invaluable victory in their recent surge away from the relegation zone. Saturdays performance was their best of the season against a side which had already beaten them twice this year in the League and Cup. This was Chelmsford’s third win in last four games
As has been the case in recent games the Chelmsford forwards were dominant throughout, especially in the set scrums where the front row gave Woodford a torrid time. What was very different in this game was the way the ball was used by the backs which on occasions cut their opposition to shreds. Zane Manan at fly half was man of the match and Adam Cunnah in the centre playing his best rugby of the season not far behind. To Woodford’s credit they played some enterprising rugby and kept going till the end scoring a late fourth try which gave them a bonus point. Both their scrum half and fly half had fine games
Chelmsford, kicking up the slope from the whistle, soon had pressure on the opposition and could have scored from attacks when the ball was spread wide but it was Woodford who scored first when the ball was kicked down field and the Chelmsford were pinned in their twenty two metres area eventually a powerful run by Woodford’s backrow player brought about a converted try.
Chelmsford quickly got on the score board when Cameron Arnott kicked a penalty to the corner and the subsequent play saw the ball passed to the narrow side where Cunnah went in at the corner for an unconverted try. At this stage the game was very competitive with both sides having chances. From a penalty Chelmsford failed to find touch and Woodford ran the ball back showing good handling before the Woodford centre burst through close to the posts. Immediately afterwards, Chelmsford reduced the deficit with a smartly kicked penalty from Arnott. With a minute to go before the break Chelmsford scored an excellent try on the blind side, with very little room to work in, the ball was relayed brilliantly to put Adam Cunnah in for his second try. Half time 13 ¬14
The second half began with Woodford in the ascendancy but the Chelmsford forwards won the ball deep in their own half, the ball was fed to Manan who missed both his centres out with a pass to his winger Will Ferrier, he had seventy metres to go. Ferrier beat four men in his run for the line to crash over for a fine try. The Chelmsford forwards then saw the rewards of their hard work when Chelmsford were awarded a penalty try following numerous five metre scrums. Woodford came back again to score again from a well worked move.
The last nine minutes saw three further tries. Two for Chelmsford. One scored by Zane Manan who had taken a long pass from Hoult off balance twenty metres out, and still manoeuvred his body passed numerous defenders to score under the posts. The second, another try for Will Ferrier when he intercepted a pass and ran in unopposed. Woodford scored their fourth try with seconds to go.
There are still improvements to be made, but 2018 looks a much brighter year than 2017, for Chelmsford fortunes on the rugby pitch.
Director of Rugby Eddie Gooby said after the game . This was an important win for the squad all we spoke about this week was how important it was to play our game and concentrate on the key elements of the game to put pressure on Woodford and we did this brilliantly . To win back to back games was massive you can see the confidence coming back into so many players it was great to watch.
But i think the whole squad would say what a fantastic job all our physios have done this week. On Tuesday we only had one front row and to get them on to the pitch and other players through the whole game was unbelievable.
We have a week off so that will allow the aching bodies time to recover and prepare for our next game . You can see that the fun element back in the squad which makes us a totally different team to play against