BRAINTREE 36

WRITTLE WANDERERS 17

Essex President’s Shield semi-final

BRAINTREE Rugby Club blasted their way through to the final of the Essex President’s Shield, but they were made to fight tooth and nail for their victory by Writtle Wanderers.

Writtle looked a side transformed from the outfit which was hammered 55-17 on their own ground by the Black and Ambers in an Essex League division one encounter in November.

Braintree didn’t know what to expect by way of an opposition after the Wanderers forfeited the points in the return fixture last month citing a weakened side.

The two sides still took to the pitch on that occasion, with the hosts opting to jettison a number of first-team regulars for an impromptu friendly, only to squeak a narrow win.

But on Saturday the visitors looked up to full strength as they put Brian Joslin and Gary Coote’s men under pressure straight from the kick-off.

Ironically it was Braintree who got the first points on the board, with inside centre Craig Willis notching a ninth-minute penalty to give his side a 3-0 lead.

They then set what turned out to be a precedent on the day when they failed to secure possession from the re-start, allowing Writtle a soft try under the posts which was easily converted.

On 13 minutes, Braintree were quickly back in front with a try by flanker Mike Benfield after good line-out ball triggered several phases of play, with Willis converting for a 10-7 lead.

Three minutes later, the hosts pushed further ahead courtesy of debutant winger and academy graduate Max Power following another kick to touch and an excellent line-out.

Willis then potted his second penalty on 29 minutes before Writtle answered with one of their own six minutes later, but the last play of the half saw Willis successfully kick a penalty from almost the halfway line to give his side a 21-10 interval lead.

Writtle were in no mood to forfeit anything this time, though, and came out strongly in the second half, scoring a converted try out wide on 44 minutes after securing good line-out ball to narrow the gap to four points.

Another Willis penalty on 48 minutes edged Braintree 24-17 ahead and a fine try from stand-in scrum half Joss Adams seven minutes later gave the home side breathing space as Willis converted for a 31-17 lead.

By now Braintree were in the ascendancy and their constant pressure forced a Writtle defender to carry the ball back over his own line late on.

The Black and Ambers enforced the squeeze at the scrum, winning a penalty which saw another pack down and ended with a pushover try from captain John Smillie as they wrapped up their place in the final.

Braintree: Dann, Power, Abbott, Willis, Drew, Hine, Adams, Perry, W Turner, Baker, Apps, Johnston, Carslake, Benfield, Smillie. Reps: J Moore, Moss.