Bracknell win in the wind !

Report by Super Slave

On a very breezy day at Silver Leys Bracknell played witht he the prevaling wind although it was predominantly blowing across the pitch. Scrum Half Luke Carter exploited an unguarded blind side to cross the white wash and open the scoring. Jervis Manupenu failed to make the conversion. Bracknell then began to give away penalty after penalty and in turn failed to come to grips with the referees interpretation of the offside rule which was not helped by a touch judge that did not keep up with play. Sam Coleman (Stortford 10) kicked two penalties and also converted a Richard Gill try which put the home team into a 13-5 lead as Half time approached. By this stage, head coach Ken Hopkins was pulling his hair out watching unforced error after unforced error.

Minutes before the half time whistle and after a set move left wing Kevin McKenzie broke three or four tackles to score under the posts. Although Manupenu had already missed a number of presentable opportunities the try was converted and Stortford led going into half time by the the narrowest of leads 13-12.

Half time was the cue for Ken Hopkins (ably assisted by forwards coach Greg Anstead) to unleash a good barrage of expletives that the players tended to understand a little better than the niceties of the past four weeks.

Stortford then failed to capitalise on any advantage the conditions might have offered them and Bracknell stepped up five gears to apply relentless pressure on them which resulted in a close quarters forwards try close to the touchline scored by flanker Kyle Lovell soon after the restart Although the conversion was clearly the most difficult attempt so far Manupenu slotted the ball between the uprights - score 13-19.

Entertaining running rubgy continued from both sides in the advers conditions even when Bracknell suffered the fate of having Kenny Barry in the bin for ten minutes for an offence that still beggers belief. Stortford were fortinate on two occasions when the ref disallowed two Bracknell tries and thus the score remained at 19 - 13 even though Bracknell had a sitter to collect the three points on offer to shut down the bonus opportunity for Stortford but chose to go for the try.

In summary if Bracknell start this coming week end like they ended last weeks game they will then be playing the standard that they are capbable of.

Well done to all for a splendid 2nd half display.