London One North Sudbury 38 Letchworth 13 Sudbury earned a well-deserved and long-awaited win with a fightback at home against mid-table Letchworth.
The win moves the West Suffolk side above Chelmsford in the league but still not definitely clear of relegation with just two games left.
It took ten minutes for Letchworth to settle but they scored first with a penalty kick mid-way in the Sudbury half.
Sudbury were under some pressure but were defending well and every time Letchworth got into the red zone they gave away penalties by holding on to the ball too long in the tackle, allowing the home side to clear their lines.
Letchworth eventually scored their first try when Sudbury succumbed to the pressure as the strong pack drove over from close range from a five scrum to score after 25 minutes of play and then addded a further penalty.
Sudbury replied when they were awarded a penalty in their own 22 and Frazer Beckett took a quick tap to make a good break. Chris Lewis made the metres to put Harry Maile clear down the wing to score after half an hour.
New boy Pat Harrison then made a superb break down the middle of the park and Charles Jackson, in support, finished the move off for a half time score of 14-13 Sudbury, a score which reflected the closeness of the encounter.
There had been signs that Letchworth were slowing toward the end of the first half and as the second half started it was Sudbury who were in control.
Maile scored after 15 minutes from a move which started on the away 22 and the ball was worked right to left through the backs to the far wing.
From the restart Sudbury took the initiative and ran the ball deep into the Letchworth half and another right-to-left move saw Alex Zahid power over from ten metres out for the bonus point try.
Letchworth were now looking ragged and were desperately trying to slow the game down. Sudbury, on the other hand, wanted to run and keep the game open.
Henry Cowling scored from a line-out in the 22 when he pounced on the loose ball and drove over, and Shaun Smith finished the afternoon with a good run from a breakdown just inside the half to outrun the defence.
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