EPPING UPPER CLAPTON U16S 7 BRAINTREE U16S 25

Essex Youth League division one

Braintree Rugby Club’s under-16s turned the tables on Epping Upper Clapton in a must-win game that kept them in division one of the Essex Youth League.

Both sides knew the losers would be relegated and in their meeting earlier in the season at Robbs Wood, Epping had won 17-0 so Braintree were under no illusion as to the size of the task ahead of them to stay up against a strong side with an excellent home record.

The visitors started with an urgency and physicality seldom shown this season, with half-backs Keelan Joslin and Josh Wadforth bossing the game with superb tactical kicking.

Braintree’s first attack came from a scrum near the Epping line and with the front row of George Hume, Billy Carroll and Michael Lawrence, immense, Joslin was able to dive over for the first score.

The second score came after a fine run by Owen Panton, who slipped the ball to Cameron Laudrum to finish under the posts, before a quick tap penalty near the posts saw Jared Woolgar released to put Braintree 17-0 ahead inside 15 minutes.

Epping did hit back and scored a try, but any further attempts were thwarted by solid Braintree defence , with Dylan Thomas impeccable under the high ball.

The second half started similar to the first with Braintree's half-backs pinning the opposition in their own 22 and Josh Wadforth kicked a penalty, but the hosts came back once more and the ball was held up over the line on three occasions.

Eventually, Billy Carroll hacked the ball upfield to relieve the siege and Epping seemed to lose spirit as they knew there was no way through the magnificent Braintree defence.

The away team then stormed forward to finish the game off and, following a poor defensive kick, Wadforth ran blind to score in the corner to end a magnificent display by the team and ensure they would stay in the elite of Essex teams.

Braintree: George Hume, Billy Carroll, Michael Lawrence, Henry Irving, Will Lawrence, Cameron Laudrum, Dan McLagen, Cameron Kerr, Keelan Joslin, Josh Wadforth, Drew McManus, Alex Eveleigh, Owen Panton, Jared Woolgar, Dylan Thomas.