Defeated coach: Basildon deserved win (From Echo)

Defeated coach: Basildon deserved win

2:00pm Tuesday 19th February 2013 in Sport By Chris Phillips

ROCHFORD Hundred’s first team manager Graham Pratt had no complaints after his side suffered an 8-5 defeat at relegation rivals Basildon.

The reverse left Rochford five points adrift at the foot of the London One North table.

And Pratt felt the home side deserved the victory, which kept alive their own hopes of avoiding relegation.

“To their credit Basildon deserved their win as they played the conditions and pitch far better than we did,” said Pratt.

“We are now facing a very difficult remainder of this hard season.”

Despite the eventual result, Rochford were initially on top at the weekend.

The boys in black dominated the first quarter with Ryan Stephenson and Jack Pearce controlling the line-out, and Rochford – having more possession and territory – should have scored enough points to make themselves safe in this encounter.

During that period, an excellent break by flanker James Dorrington led to him being brought down before the ball moved speedily via Bracknell and Ventress and allowed captain Matt Stewart to run through the gap to score a deserved try.

Although the try was not converted it seemed that it would only be a matter of time before the next score.

The visitors attacked the Basildon line but were not able to get the break their efforts deserved and Basildon gradually regrouped as the pitch deteriorated rapidly, turning the match into a dire affair dominated by many breakdowns and set scums.

This suited the home side better and Basildon started to take the game to Rochford through their bigger forwards and were eventually awarded a penalty which was duly taken and they were now only 5-3 behind.

That score stayed the same up to half time but by then it was difficult to recognise either team.

The second half was all Basildon.

The New Town team controlled both the ball and territory, and it was only a matter of time before they scored the vital try to take the lead.

Once these points were on the board they battled until the final whistle in what turned out to be a lottery of a game.

Despite the win, Basildon remain second from bottom in the table.

But they are now just four points from safety with seven games to go.

Rochford: Mark, Corbet, Coombe, Stephenson, Pearce, Dorrington, Farren, Whight, Bracknell, Ventress, Cooke, Tusini, Stewart, Hall, Boxtel. Replacements: Defreitas, Wiseman & Baker.