NATIONAL TWO SOUTH


Chinnor....................................................42
Southend Saxons......................................21

 

SOUTHEND Saxons’ director of rugby Chris Green was left ruing his side’s ‘horrific’ spell just before half-time at Chinnor in National Two South on Saturday.

The Saxons trailed 8-7 before a hat-trick of quick tries put the hosts 30-7 ahead at half-time.

And Green, whose side were eventually seen off 42-21, felt that spell cost Southend the game.

“It was just horrific and it gave us too much to do in the second half,” said Green.

“We missed easy tackles in that time, we lost concentration and from being 8-7 down it was suddenly 30-7.

“We’ve lost too many points in the opening few games now and we need to start clawing some back again.”

Southend have now lost five of their first six games of the new season and they went behind early on at the weekend, with Reuben Haile scoring the first of his four tries.

Ed Keohane increased the lead with a penalty in the 13th minute before Southend hit back with a penalty try which was converted by Tom Ashton to cut Chinnor’s lead to 8-7.

However, another penalty from Keohane was then followed by two tries from Chinnor in quick succession with Frank Jones and Haile touching down.

Keohane’s conversion made it 23-7 before Haile completed his hat-trick with another converted try just before the break.

The Saxons were first to score after the break with Harry Hudson touching down and Ashton again adding the extras.

But Chinnor replied with Haile grabbing his fourth try of the game and Keohane kicking the conversion.

Southend responded with winger Mark Billings scoring a try but Chinnor grabbed the game’s final try when Jack Hayes battled through to score a try.

The defeat leaves the Saxons 14th in the 16 team table and they will desperately looking to get back to winning ways when they host eighth placed Lydney at Warners Bridge this weekend.

Southend: Meads, Billings, Nash, Vaughan, Cleare, Ashton, Powell, Fardell, Bloomberg, Bevans-Royston, Chesney, Hudson, Jackson, Ferrier, Kellard

Replacements: Strachan, Day, White, Shields, Pollard & Driver