Bracknell 34 - Westcliffe 12

The day started in sombre mood as both teams observed a minutes silence for Howard Lamb who sadly passed away at the start of the week.

On a grey damp overcast afternoon and windy afternoon it was Bracknell who where to open the try scoring, Ian Birch finding space on the right flank to cross the whitewash. Conversion was kicked by Liam Hemming.

Westcliffe promptly responding with a try from fly half Chris Dudman, which was converted by Andy Roskams. 7 all.

A Liam Hemming penalty saw Bracknell take the lead again and a further Liam Hemming try from a quick penalty saw Bracknell increase their lead.

Just before half time, with each team having a player in the sin player, Westcliffe reduced the deficit with a try of their own. Half time score 17-12.

Bracknell now playing towards the clubhouse did not take long to open their second half try account. Jamie Rukin scoring. Liam Hemming kicking the conversion.

Bracknell now enjoying the territory and the possession earned a bonus point through another Ian Birch try, following a great break by him. Liam Hemming missing the conversion, for the first time in two games.

The final try of the game came from number eight George Milligan carrying the ball over from a Bracknell five metre scrum in front of the assembled former players that had enjoyed the pre match lunch.

Final score: Bracknell 34 Westcliffe 12 (Points: Bracknell 5 Westcliffe 0).

The Ron de Jeremy rum man of the match award went to Lachlan Valentine (pictured above receiving the award from coach Rory Greeenslade Jones).

Bracknell have an away trip to forth placed East Grinstead next Saturday, please come along and support the team if you can.

Bracknell: 1:Harry Challenor 2:Stuart Silvester 3:Jonny Mirza ( c ) 4:Josh Kron 5.Lachlan Valentine 6:Dom Rice 7:Jamie Rudkin 8:George Milligan 9:Jack Conway 10:Liam Hemming 11:Stuart Mackay 12:Dan Faamatuainu 13:Joe Price 14:Ian Burch 15:Ben Yates Subs: Joe Pickett, Tom Deveraux, Lewis Dennet

Pete’s Predictions
Last week I predicted that only 2 sides would win at home. As it turned out the mighty Bracknell were the only side to win at home. Away wins for Shelford (marginally) Tonbridge (easily), Westcombe Park (emphatically) Guernsey (comfortably) and East Grinstead (unsurprisingly) accounted for 5 home defeats but it was Hertford’s win at Irish (remarkably) that prevented a clean sweep in my predictions.

For a second week it is the Irish result that upset my apple cart. Last week’s prediction of a draw when Irish won by a point was close (with no cigar) but this week I predicted a home win with confidence. I have nothing against London Irish Wild Geese (other than the fact that they didn’t really deserve to win at Bracknell) but this unexpected result does come as rather welcome relief. Somehow Irish have always managed to get the upper hand in tight encounters so far this season – beating Wimbledon by just 2 points, Bracknell by 3, Westcliff by 4, drawing with East Grinstead (the only draw so far in this league so far this season by the way), and beating Shelford by a single point last week – so for the good of the league it’s I’m pleased to see a close encounter go the way of their opposition for a change. I just wonder if their luck is starting to run out. Just for the record 7th and 8th places did swap back again……

Promotion candidates.
Tonbridge return to the top of the table for the first time since their loss to Westcombe Park back in week 7 and it wouldn’t surprise me if they stayed there. A home win next week against Irish would give them a buffer of 5 or 6 points which would allow them a slip up later in the season and still remain top. Their point’s difference, by far the best in the league and always a good indicator of long term form, suggests they are the best side around and if they beat Irish they could stay there for the duration.

If I’m right (and that’s not even odds on let alone a sure thing) then the battle for the play-off spot is likely to be between Irish, Westcombe Park and East Grinstead. I think Irish have a tougher second half the season than they had in the first so if their luck does run out they have a challenge just to stay in play-off contention. As I said last week, I don’t think Shelford have what it takes and a one point win at Colchester is not the sort of form that will see them catching those above them. Beating the table toppers is a different matter however, so Hertford have an outside chance of challenging the play-off contenders – they are also one of just 2 sides to have taken the scalp of Tonbridge so far this season – Westcombe Park being the other

Win of the week.
Simple – Hertford
The first side to beat Irish when 11 others have failed – the only side to beat opposition placed above them in the table – knocking a side off top spot – and all away from home. Any one of these would put any side in contention for win of the week but all 4 of them makes Hertford a shoe in from a shortlist of one. Congratulations to Hertford

I mentioned their chances of joining the play-off contenders and a side that has only played 5 games at home (out of 12 fixtures) so far this season and has won every one of them and has only lost on the road to play-off contenders East Grinstead, Shelford narrowly, Guernsey and the mighty Bracknell they might just sneak into contention under the radar (so don’t tell anyone….)

Relegation worries.
With 4 sides at the top and 5 down below I could almost describe Bracknell’s position as mid-table at a push. They look safer by the week but there is too far to go to allow any complacency to creep in.

The bottom 3; Eton Manor, Westcliff, and Gravesend have mustered just 4 wins between them all season and may look like the likely candidates for the drop but Chichester have not won since mid-October. The games between the bottom 5 (the above plus Colchester) in the remainder of the season will be crucial to the outcome of who takes the drop but I think Colchester have enough about them to win the majority of their games against fellow strugglers and will pull clear of trouble.

Next week’s fixtures
Next week sees Irish travel to Tonbridge, a game which I think will see the home side open a gap at the top. Westcliff welcome Gravesend so if either side wants to avoid the drop they have to take their chances when they can – and this is one of those “opportunities” I often talk about

Here are my predictions for week 13 in league fixture list order – a rather unusual clean sweep of home wins
Home win
Home win
Home win
Home win
Home win
Home win
Home win

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