Thurrock RFC 14, Woodford RFC 37

Sunday October 24th. Thurrock RFC u16s hosted Woodford. Irish music living legend, Van Morrison sings that "there will be days like this". This U16 rugby fixture was the solitary home fixture in the whole club of sixteen teams for Thurrock at the weekend. Conditions were perfect for rugby, it being a very pleasantly crisp and sundrenched Sunday morning at an abnormally quiet Oakfield.

Referee, Mr Early got proceedings started promptly as Woodford kicked off and Tees failed to gather, leaving the visitor's winger free to take possession of the ball and run in an early try, 0-5.

Steered and directed by Tees outhalf, Jake Holding and scrum half Minter, Tees pushed deep into the visitors 22 and the Tees forwards worked their way to the tryline. Frequent infringements by the defending Woodford, meant that referee Mr Early had no alternative but to award Tees a Penalty Try, Thurrock 7 - Woodford 5

That was to be Thurrock's one and only time in front as a very powerful Woodford team responded with a succession of scores to take the visitors' half time lead to Thurrock 7 Woodford 30. A line from that Van Morrison song seemed apt at this stage "when no one is in hurry, there will be days like this".

Tees u16 coaches Sullivan and Driscoll just were not having it with the boys. Yes, Tees were down seven squad regulars but there is still plenty of talent in this Thurrock u16 squad besides, to put in a decent performance.

And then like the great Van sings "Like a flick of a switch, everything falls into place" The second half was more even as the Tees surged forward. Tees were still letting the ball go forward, missing catches and losing their own uncontested lineouts at the most inconvenient of times but the difference in the second half was that Tees were quickly following up with challenges to the visitors to win the ball back, Tees' defence had shape, their superior fitness meant that they outfought the bigger, more powerful Woodford visitors in the third and fourth quarter and all the play was in the visitor's end.

Second half scores (Thurrock's try by Nico Martonara) were incidental to a very much improved performance and at one converted try a piece, this made Woodford's trip from IG8 well worth their while and this tough contest in the second half sets Tees u16 up nicely for some tough Essex Cup and League games ahead over the coming weeks. The final score of 14 - 37 really was a tale of two halves and as the song says "there will be days like this".