WESTCLIFF’S director of rugby Rick Compton labelled his side’s 48-5 win at Colchester as a ‘very important’ victory in their National Three London & SE season.

The triumph was Westcliff’s second in succession.

And Compton believes it was a key success for his team.

“This was a very important result for us and a significant step in achieving the goals we set ourselves back in the summer,” said Compton.

“For the purist it was not the most exciting game but we make no apology for that.

“The lads were excellent, particularly the forwards.

“We gave them a job to do and they did it to the letter, that was very satisfying for all concerned.

“We are now half way through a clutch of four games we identified as pivotal to the outcome of our season and so far we have collected maximum points.

“We now have home games against Amersham and Chichester which we go into in good form and spirits.”

Westcliff went in front at the weekend with a penalty from Jack Jones but Colchester then enjoyed a sustained period of pressure which brought no reward despite them enjoying a man advantage for ten minutes when John Rudd received a yellow card for a high tackle.

Despite their numerical disadvantage, the visitors stood strong and came close to scoring themselves when Ross Merrick crossed on the left flank only to be called back for a foot in touch.

But, as the final seconds of Rudd’s enforced rest ticked by Westcliff did score the opening try through hooker Jack Hopkins before Joe Vandermolen also touched down to make it 17-0 at half-time.

After the break, Colchester continued to find it difficult to contain the Westcliff pack whose next spell of pressure resulted in another try from Vandermolen.

Colchester replied with a try of their own but Westcliff responded with two more forward tries through George Maloney and Rupert Edwards.

Both tries were converted before Westcliff sealed their win with the try of the game thanks to Chris Dudman.

Westcliff: Dudman, Reynolds, Tupuola, Rudd, Merrick, Jones, Branch, Brown, Hopkins, Binneman, Dartnell, Edwards, Scoggings, Jobling, Vandermolen.

Replacements: A Whiting, R Whiting & Maloney