Thurrock 28, Reeds Weybridge 27

THERE was high drama at Oakfield as Thurrock completed a second win in the London & South East Regional 2 South East campaign on Saturday (8 March).

In a match that ebbed and flowed, the ultimate deciding factor was the boot of youngster James Fergus but it was a genuine all-round team effort from a Thurrock team.

The hosts made a great start and pegged their visitors back into their own half for much of the opening stages.

They were held up several times before winning a penalty in front of the posts on ten minutes and Fergus knocked over the first points of the match.

However, the lead didn't last long as Reeds pressed Thurrock back and when the home defence lost possession close to their line and the ball ran loose Ieuan Schofield was alert and surged through to dive forward and touch it down. Josh Clark missed the conversion but he found himself with another shot just a few moments later when Thurrock were again masters of their own downfall, giving away a penalty and then failing to concentrate as Reeds took a quick tap and Tudor Forbes crossed the line.

Clark's effort, from close to the line was far more commendable than his first, but again slid wide, leaving the score 10-3 to the visitors.

A moment of opportunity and individual skill saw Thurrock get their first try through William Lewis who jinked through the Reeds backline and recorded his first senior try for Tees. Fergus converted to make it 10-10, 22 minutes into the match.

Watch all the drama here:

And soon after Lewis was involved again, driving for the Reeds line. He was held but the ball was fed to Dritan Loka who powered his way over from close range. This time Fergus was unable to convert.

Thurrock were once again the masters of their own downfall when another quick tap and go saw Reeds kick a grubber behind the Thurrock line and Tees completely failed to deal with it, fumbling the ball and Clark sprinted though to run the ball over the line. His conversion was easy as he had placed the ball right between the posts.

With the clock ticking towards half time Thurrock were awarded a penalty out wide and Fergus stepped up to the challenge to put the ball between the posts and give the hosts an 18-17 half time lead.

The lead changed hands again early in the second half when Thurrock were adjudged offside in front of their posts and Clark added the three points.

The point-scoring slowed up then, and it wasn't until the last ten minutes that there was another try - and it looked a definitive one as Sebastian Correia drove over. Clark once again showed his prowess with the boot to put Thurrock nine points behind with about eight minutes remaining.

Straight from the restart Thurrock thought they had scored a try when Kodie Holloway appeared to get the ball down after a surging break by Thurrock but the referee adjudged he had been held up.

A sense of injustice appeared to fire Thurrock up and they were quickly back on the attack and from a well-worked lineout out wide on the left the forwards drove their Reeds counterparts back and Dan Ulph dabbed the ball down. The subsequent two-pointer was very difficult, from out wide and against the wind, but Fergus stepped up and converted to take Thurrock within two points.

And, with little more than seconds on the clock, Thurrock's resilience saw them surge forward again and they were awarded a penalty on the 22, from a central position. Fergus stepped up and, with nerves of steel, put the ball between the posts - and the final whistle followed!