Sudbury start 2018 with revenge against Wanstead

London Two North Sudbury 47 Wanstead 17 Sudbury started 2018 with a superb home win against Wanstead, a side who had beaten them earlier in the season, writes Don Reekie.

The crowd were treated to an excellent game of rugby and the home supporters watched a well-drilled Sudbury side each do their job in a fine team performance.

Sudbury’s first score came from a move started in the home half involving three pairs of hands before Frazer Beckett scored and Sam Rust converted with five minutes played.

From the restart Sudbury took play straight back deep into Wanstead territory. The Wanstead scrum was in disarray and from the ensuing penalty Chris Whybrow took a quick tap to score, Rust again securing the extra two points.

Wanstead sgot on the board when they were awarded a penalty for offside in the Sudbury half and kicked for touch. They took the line-out and rolled the maul over the line for a well-worked forwards’ try.

In the last ten minutes of the half Sudbury scored twice, first Sam Mail from a break down the right, and the bonus point came when Austin Beckett darted down the wing and ran round behind the posts.

Wanstead got a try back early in the second half, but Sudbury bounced back by taking play straight back to the visitors and Charles Jackson went over.

Wanstead scored again from a penalty line out and a maul to reduce the deficit but again Sudbury bounced back with a try from a tap penalty by Frazer on the halfway line and a solo run to score under the posts. By this time Sudbury had all their replacements on and fresh legs allowed the home side to up the pace once again. Another break from Beckett saw him kick ahead twice and outrun the opposition, but it was Whybrow who claimed the glory for the final score.

Wanstead rallied for the last two minutes of the game, keeping play in the Sudbury 22 in a desperate effort to salvage a bonus point, but the defence held and a final scrum saw Sudbury take the ball and kick it dead to seal the win.