Ben McKeith shines as Westcliff Rugby Club start well (From Echo)

Ben McKeith shines as Westcliff Rugby Club start well

10:38am Wednesday 5th September 2012 in Sport By Chris Phillips

LONG distance tries, excellent kicking and good scrummaging helped Westcliff make a flying start to their season as they beat Tring 55-19.

Fly half Ben McKeith enjoyed a tremendous afternoon as he bagged 25 points and did not miss a single kick.

His first penalty put Westcliff 3-0 up and he then also converted a try from Seb Reynolds which came following a good move from a scrum.

Tring soon showed they were not going down without a fight though and one of their players blasted thorough attempted tackles to score a try that was converted to cut Westcliff’s lead to 10-7.

But a superb attack by Westcliff immediately found gaps in the Hertfordshire side’s defence and Conor O’Brien was in for the try.

McKeith’s conversion made it 17-7 and the he then scored a try of his own which he also converted before another penalty made it 27-7 at half-time.

Tring were initially on top at the start of the second half, but Westcliff stood firm and, after turning the ball over, they grabbed another try when summer signing Gus Martyn touched down.

The conversion by McKeith saw the score to move up to 34-7 before scrum-half George Parmenter grabbed two tries in quick succession.

Both were converted by McKeith for 48-7 before the visitors hit back with two tries of their own.

However, Westcliff had the final say when Elliot Harvey dummied his way across for the final try which again the unerring boot of McKeith converted to round off the score.

And that delighted Westcliff’s director of rugby Bob Smith.

“That was an impressive start,” said Smith.

“The boys played very well indeed and it was a good result for us to begin the season with.”

But it was a disappointing first afternoon in National Three London & SE for Thurrock as they were narrowly beaten 23-21 at home to Gravesend.