(Photo Credit: Jamcel Photos)

Colchester show heart to dig out first win

At the end of October and during the first break in the season, National Two East’s Colchester (13th) parted company with head coach Craig Burrows and his assistant Brad James. After promotion to level four for the first time in the club’s history, the Raven Park outfit experienced a real baptism of fire losing their opening eight matches of this campaign.

With just four bonus points to their name, Colchester’s hierarchy decided it was time for a change but perhaps the first block of the term didn’t require an extensive debrief. The character Colchester displayed in their 38-25 defeat to high-flying Dorking in Round Eight, while Burrows was still in post, may have eased any downbeat feelings around the club but the first two matches of November – under the interim watch of Mike Haywood – would most certainly have boosted morale.

In the closing stages of their Round Nine contest at eighth-placed Westcombe Park, Colchester had their hearts broken by Harry Hudson’s try but in Round 10, it was roles reserved.

Facing one of their table rivals in the form of Sevenoaks (12th), Haywood’s troops were 20-14 down heading into the final quarter. Corey Button’s try on 64 minutes put Colchester in front but a third consecutive penalty from Ben Adams nudged Oaks ahead. However, right at the death, fly-half Gabe Jones became the hero as he dived under the sticks to clinch a first win of the season for the Essex club.

With bottom of the table Worthing to come next Saturday at home, a bleak maiden season in National Two East could suddenly look a lot brighter for Colchester.

Nothing to separate Tynedale and Harrogate while Sheffield Tigers also share spoils

Another weekend where the focus was on the foot of the National Two North standings. Another layer of intrigue added.

In rounds eight and nine, two of the bottom three sides faced off against one another and that theme conveniently continued in Round 10 with Tynedale (12th) welcoming bottom-of-the-table Harrogate to the North-East.

The hosts would have been in good spirits after defeating table rivals Sheffield Tigers last time out, sensing an opportunity to build on their opening victory of the campaign.

But after 17 minutes, they knew they were in a fight as tries from Kristan Dobson and Martin Dodds got Harrogate off to a dream start. This triggered a ‘punch-for-punch’ kind of afternoon at Tynedale Park with the hosts hitting back via Cameron Grant and Isaac Keller before Dodds and Oscar Caulde traded tries.

The pattern of the first 40 bled into the second period with Harrogate again establishing some breathing space thanks to Dobson’s second and a penalty try, but back came Tynedale.

Capitalising on a yellow card shown to flanker Will Hill, Benjamin Haigh and Will Roberts scored in quick succession to leave things all square at 33-33 heading into the final 10 minutes.

And Harrogate could have snatched it at the death but fly-half Tom Steene saw his penalty attempt sail wide.

Following their fightback, it is fair to suggest Tynedale will be more satisfied with the draw [a third of the season] than Harrogate but second-from-bottom Sheffield Tigers would have been most pleased by the outcome as they also shared the spoils in Round 10.

In the lead-up to their visit to Otley (9th), Tigers announced on Instagram that head coach Adam Byron had ‘respectfully decided to step away from the club’ after both parties were ‘unable to agree terms and the future direction of the club’.

As for the here and now though, a battling 24-24 draw at Otley will be seen as a positive for the Dore Moor side.

Before Saturday, Otley had won their last three games at Cross Green and when Rhys Green plunged over with 15 minutes to go, it looked like the West Yorkshire outfit were on course for another home success.

However, hooker Will Archer ensured the Tigers weren’t going to head back down the M1 empty-handed as his converted try seven minutes from time was enough for the draw.

Four points now separates the bottom five clubs in National Two North as the battle to climb the table intensifies.

Leicester Lions rue missed opportunity as Esher continue upward trajectory 

Learning more from defeats than victories is a mantra National One club Leicester Lions (13th) may have followed during October. A tough run of fixtures against the current top four sides meant they had to focus on the plus points, but back-to-back losses to table rivals Darlington Mowden Park (14th) and now Esher (11th) won’t make for pretty reading for Gareth Collins’ youthful side.

The Leicester Lions boss didn’t shy away from the importance of Round 10’s clash but a gripping contest eventually fell the way of visitors Esher, who have now won three of their last five games.

Chris Romano and Arthur Allen put the Lions ahead before Myles Rawstron-Rudd, Henry Mortimer and Ed Volley replied for Esher, who led 24-19 at the break.

Jake Sterland had also gone over in the first period for the hosts and the Midlands outfit went in front thanks to John Murdoch’s converted try on 47 minutes. However, a quick-fire double from Esher’s James Botterill proved decisive as Esher moved 10 points ahead while Jordan Tebbatt’s try right at the end was too little, too late for the Lions.

Esher’s upturn in fortunes has seen them climb to 11th in the standings and they could make it a full house of victories in November when they welcome 10th-placed Bishop’s Stortford to Molesley Road in Round 11. As for Leicester Lions, they remain second from bottom and conclude the month with a trip to Sale FC (7th).

Ten in a row for trio of leaders

In National One, Rams (1st) battled past fifth-placed Blackheath to achieve a 33-14 victory and a 10th successive win of the term. Seb Reynolds’ side may not have grabbed the headlines each and every week, but they have efficiently gone about their business and look like a team more than capable of finally taking the next step this season.

At this point last year, the Berkshire outfit suffered a blip in form which dented their title aspirations but no such problems for Rams thus far ahead of massive back-to-back fixtures against third-placed Rotherham Titans and Richmond (2nd).

As for National Two North leaders Lymm, three tries in the first 14 minutes helped them on their way to a 36-26 triumph away at Billingham (11th). Their latest success also ensured Adam Fletcher and Andy Davies’ side continued their maximum points haul.

Likewise in National Two East, after trailing early on against Old Albanian (9th), Tonbridge Juddians put their foot on the accelerator to record a 41-28 win and it is now 50 points from a possible 50 for Jordan Turner-Hall and Seb Sherwood’s troops.

Both clubs have a four-point gap in National Two North and National Two East, but as we turn our attention towards the final round of November, you can be nothing but positive about all three sides.

Camborne deserve a mention, too. The National Two West table-toppers remain 10 points clear as an excellent 20 minutes after half-time against Luctonians (now fifth) helped them to a 29-22 victory in Round 10.

Gordon’s dramatic hat-trick keeps Henley’s run alive

“My heart is still racing,” exclaimed Henley Hawks (5th) boss Luke Allen following the conclusion of their entertaining Round 10 clash against Havant (10th).

Four successive wins meant the Hawks came into the weekend as one of National Two East’s form teams, but visiting a passionate Hooks Lane was never going to be easy.

And after fighting their way back into the contest either side of half-time to lead 19-11, tries from Havant’s Dylan Lawley and Harry Carr – plus seven points from the boot of Joel Knight – saw their advantage disappear.

With four minutes left, Henley were nine points down and staring at their first defeat since the start of October but enter winger Lailand Gordon.

His first saw the Hawks collect a Havant line-out on their own 22 before going the length of the field and then Gordon squeezed into the right corner on 78 minutes to give the visitors the lead.

And he completed a remarkable treble after an intercept, with Max Titchener’s conversion also denying Havant a bonus point.

“We’re building something good,” Allen told Henley’s ‘X’ account. Five wins on the spin suggests that, and with top six clashes to come against Canterbury, Tonbridge Juddians and Barnes, the Hawks could be flying into the Christmas break.

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