Sudbury just too good for Chelmsford

Chelmsford did indeed put up a determined defence but the speed and fitness of the Blues was just too much for the opposition.

Sudbury kicked off down the hill and nearly scored with the opening exchanges as Austin Beckett broke and passed to Charles Jackson, who was felled just short of the paintwork.

Chelmsford kicked to move play into Sudbury territory but, always on the attack, Sudbury immediately worked their way down the field and, from a scrum mid-way in the half, swift hands fed Jake Thurlow for the first try after six minutes of play.

Sudbury kept play in the Chelmsford half maintaining pressure forcing a penalty and a quick tap from Sam Maile allowed him to run in and score, so they were 12 points ahead with ten minutes played.

On the half hour Matt Johnston scored from a breakdown mid-way in the Chelmsford half and once again quick hands out wide. The bonus point try came from Shaun Smith who intercepted a pass on the Sudbury 22 and ran the 60 metres down the wing to score.

Colin Humphreys added a drop goal to the points tally just before half time to give a 27 point lead with no serious challenges from the opposition.

Sudbury’s fitness was to pay dividends in the second half. Smith ran straight back up the park to score with less than a minute on the clock.

The forwards produced the next score with some good running in broken play; Harry Watkins was the one to cross the stripe.

Chelmsford then rallied and spent some time in the Sudbury 22, catching them offside twice but the defence was good. Eventually, from a scrum and fourth phase ball, the home forwards bundled over the line to score.

Sudbury used all their replacements to rest some of the lads and Charles Jackson eventually got his try after coming so close in the opening minutes and Smith got his second just before the end.

Next week Cantabs will be no pushover for the West Suffolk side.