London 1 North: Braintree 17 Diss 43

BRAINTREE produced a much improved performance following their recent 128-0 horror show at Bury St Edmunds but were still well beaten by a strong Diss side.

The black and ambers started brightly and went ahead after 15 minutes when they won ball at the line-out and play was spread in field for prop Jamie Prince to crash over.

Braintree were unable to convert the score and the impetus flowed back towards the visitors.

A catch and drive move from a line-out deep in home territory enabled Deaglen Hall to score what proved to be the first of four tries.

Full-back Chris Beard converted the score to give Diss a 7-5 lead.

After Wes Apps went off injured, Beard dropped onto the ball after the visitors charged down an attempted clearance kick, and converted to give Diss a 14-5 lead.

The Robbs Wood faithful must have feared the worst when Hall grabbed his second try of the game, following a ruck on the stroke of half-time for a 19-5 interval advantage.

The second half didn’t start well for Braintree when Diss collected their bonus point courtesy of hooker Peter Bray, who crashed over to make it 24-5 from another line-out move.

But the home side hit back with two tries in seven minutes to edge themselves back in contention.

After being held up by the Diss defence centre, Guthrie Holliday took a quick tap-penalty to win back a try which was converted by Joe Young to reduce the deficit to 12-24.

A period of loose play from both teams then ensued which was finally broken when flanker Lee Turner scored a try on 57 minutes.

With the score at 24-17, Diss’ Hall completed his hat-trick from a catch and drive line-out move, which followed a penalty to touch on 65 minutes to make it 29-17.

Two further tries from Warren Wilby and Hall, both converted by Beard, secured the points for the visitors.