Braintree 38, Thurrock 48

Sunday 10th October, Thurrock RFC U16s travelled up county to take on Braintree RFC.

Rugby is a simple game, when played well, and this young Tees side did just that; scoring seven tries, kicking five conversions and a penalty. Tries win matches and Tee's Man of the match, Abou Diakite, with four tries, did as his coach told him and took on the Braintree defence, on the outside rather than turning inside, as was his wont. Conceding 38 points is something that will need to be looked at so there is always room for improvement!

A slow start, left Thurrock trailing 12-0 before Tees' second row George Crawford's fine ball carry and lay off to Mason Minter. Minty's pass released Abou Diakite to score his first try of the match. Danny McAllister duly converted 7-12.

However, the homeside, remained in the ascendency with their forward pack continuing to boss the game. Braintree went further ahead with another try 7 -17 but from the subsequent restart, Ethan Cook kicked wide for the ever vigilant Tee's winger Abou Diakite to collect and run in for his second try of the match, 12-17.

Thurrock winger, Abou Diakite then collected his third try, when he backed himself to take on the Braintree defence on the outside, stretched his legs and scored a wonderful individual try just before the break. The kick was duly converted to leave Thurrock with the lead 19-17 at the turnaround.

After the 2nd half restart Thurrock found themselves trailing to another Braintree try, 24-19. However, this spurred on this Tees side. Tees Scrum half Aaron Early was having a barnstorming game and showed up in all the plays with some great ball distribution and tackling. Tees forwards, Gardener, Smythe, Ray and Healy now had an urgency and an intensity in their play that we hadn't seen up to this.

The equalising try for Thurrock came when Early picked up the ball after Healy charged down a kicking attempt by Braintree. Aaron Early passed to Ethan Cook thence to the other Tee's winger Ezra Mayanja who outpaced the Braintree full back. 24-24, game on!

Thurrock won a kickable penalty which Ethan Cook duly converted 27-24. Then scrum half Early, found first half hattrick try scorer Abou Diakite out wide on the left to score his fourth try and Thurrock stretched their lead to 34-24.

At this stage, the Thurrock boys were swinging the ball out wide and Ezra Mayanja added his second try which was duly converted 41 -24.

Not to be outdone the Tees forwards had their own try scorer when Archie Cooper picked up a ball deep in his own half and outpaced all comers to score. Try was duly converted 48-24. In the dying embers of the game and long into injury time the homeside, Braintree picked up two more tries to leave the final score 48 -38.