ROCHFORD Hundred returned to winning ways by seeing off South Woodham Ferrers 17-8 in a rearranged London Two North East clash.

The game had twice been postponed and eventually had to be switched to Rochford’s Magnolia Road base despite it being Woodham’s home fixture.

However, Woodham still made Rochford work hard for the win, which was achieved thanks to a fine display from stand-off Adam Ashton.

He put Hundred ahead with an early penalty kick before Woodham hit back with a well worked try to take the lead.

They soon extended their advantage with a penalty kick which made it 8-3 before Ashton’s tactical kicking made a difference as his long pressure reducing kicks allowed Rochford to regroup and launch attacks.

Following one of Ashton’s efforts, Rochford set up a maul near the South Woodham line and scrum half Brett Smith sped through for a try which made the score 8-8 at half-time.

The second half carried on in similar fashion with both sets of forwards trying to get the upper hand with a number of untidy rucks and mauls.

However, gradually Rochford started to increase the tempo of their game and it paid off as it forced Woodham into errors.

Three penalty kicks from Rochford’s Ashton without reply turned out to be the all important factor and the team just about deserved their win as they took their kicking chances when they came and played with enough control to take the honours, much to the delight of their first team manager Graham Pratt.

“Our defence for the most part coped well with a lively Woodham side but in the end it was Adam Ashton’s tactical, line and place kicking that proved the difference,” said Pratt.

“But we will need to perform at a higher level next week when we host Campion.”

The victory pushed Rochford, who had been beaten by Norwich in their previous outing, back up to fourth in the standings.

Rochford Hundred: Mark,Chivers,Wiseman,Tape,Stephenson,Corbet,Knowles,Warner Smith,Ashton,White,Stemp,Stewart, Jack Baker, Jon Baker

Replacements: Bass,Illingworth & Edwards