NATIONAL THREE LONDON & SE

Westcliff 7, Bracknell 17

WESTCLIFF’S woes continued with a 17-7 defeat at home to Bracknell in National Three London & SE.

Already relegated Westcliff had been hoping to triumph in their final home game of the season.

But their injury hit line-up were unable to triumph despite producing what their first team manager Rick Compton felt was another committed display.

“It was performance which was high on endeavour and application but fell short on quality in the final third,” said Compton.

“Our minds now turn to our remaining fixtures at Gravesend and East Grinstead but they are also firmly set on next season and our return to London One.”

Westcliff enjoyed a greater share of possession and territory early on but could not make it count.

They created several opportunities but failed to take them through a series of knock ons and unforced errors.

Try as they might they lacked the cohesion and penetration to cross the line and secure the scores they otherwise deserved.

Frustratingly as the half drew to a close that looked like being a pointless stalemate, the visitors carved out a try from their winger who cut in and avoided two covering tackles to score under the posts to establish a 7-0 half time lead.

Westcliff established parity within minutes of the resumption of play with Jon Sigwart scoring under the posts after an elusive break following a purposeful drive into Bracknell territory.

The visitors, though, responded several minutes later when their scrum half exploited inadequate cover at a ruck.

His pace was enough to see him leave chasing defenders behind once he darted through an inviting gap to get behind the defensive line.

The visitors led 12-7 but the game which ebbed and flowed throughout intermittent drizzle was still evenly poised.

Clearly though the next score would be crucial and mid-way through the half it went to Bracknell through a break down the left flank.

With the score now 17-7, Westcliff went back on the front foot for the final quarter and asserted considerable pressure which generated a series of penalties and eventually a yellow card but no points.

Again they failed to apply a finishing touch and the game petered out to a disappointing defeat.

Westcliff: Roskams, Sigwart, B Reynolds, O’Brien, Gray, Whiting, Branch, Skidmore, Mackintyre, Whitmore, Edwards, Scoggins, Hopkins, Marsh, S Reynolds

Replacements: Miller, Bartlett & Boughtwood