Late try denies Colchester Rugby Club a first league victory of the season

COLCHESTER Rugby Club came agonisingly close to a first win of the season, but a contentious try deep into overtime denied them victory as they lost 39-36 in a thriller at Westcombe Park, writes EDWARD MARRIAGE.

Instead, the visitors had to settle for two bonus points from their first outing under new interim head coach Mike Haywood.

When centre Tom Hoppe, making his debut on loan from Cambridge, crossed to put Colchester 36-34 ahead with barely five minutes remaining, it looked like they had finally broken their National League 2 duck.

But back came Park. First a penalty went narrowly wide. Then with the clock in the red, further penalties saw the hosts kick for the corner and from the resulting line-out, replacement Harry Hudson went over.

(Image: JAMCEL PHOTOS)

To ramp up the drama still further, the referee awarded the try only after lengthy discussion with his assistant. The bemused looks on the Colchester players’ faces said it all.

Park had started the faster, scoring two tries inside 15 minutes through their dangerous wingers Tom Webster and Toby Wallace, Colchester restricted to Gabe Jones’s penalty.

A fine run by Jones sparked Colchester’s first try midway through the half, Dan Brennan eventually breaking off a line-out drive to score, the conversion rebounding off the upright.

Westcombe Park soon had their third try but with the Lewis twins on for Alex Mitchell and Leroy O’Neil, Lewis Jeffery scored Colchester’s second, peeling off a line-out maul.

(Image: JAMCEL PHOTOS)

The conversion made it 19-15 but there was time for the hosts to extend their lead to 24-15 at half-time.

Colchester looked the more likely in the third quarter, but stout Park defence kept them at bay. With Joe Brock on for Sam Easton, Colchester finally got their third try, replacement hooker Francois Rossouw benefitting from another line-out drive.

Virtually from the re-start, Park scored again, but good work by Hoppe saw Jones swoop in for Colchester’s bonus point, his conversion levelling the score at 29-29.

Frustratingly, the hosts hit straight back through Wallace’s hat-trick try, but they were soon down to 14 players as Hudson was binned for appearing to pull a Colchester player back by the hair.

And so the stage was set for that frantic and, for Colchester, heart-breaking climax to the match.

(Image: JAMCEL PHOTOS)

Scott Lloyd, excellent in attack and defence and instantly striking up a good midfield partnership with his former Cambridge teammate Hoppe, was named player of the match.

Of the match-winning try, Haywood admitted Colchester’s culpability.

“We gave a penalty away in midfield, we could have stopped that, so it was partly down to ourselves that they scored the try at the end.”

But the coach had plenty of reasons to feel upbeat.

“The guys put in fantastic effort. They showed so much energy. We stuck to our plan. For me it’s just all positive.

“We’ve had one week together. With the situation we’re in, bottom of the league, two points away from home, that’s awesome. We’re really looking forward to next week.”

Saturday will see a return to Kent to play Sevenoaks, just two places above them in the league (kick-off 2.30).

The Ravens returned to winning ways with an impressive 55-8 home win against Ely while the 3s won 56-8, at Brightlingsea.

Colchester: Olabooye, Varela, Hoppe, Lloyd, Taylor, Jones, Creighton; O’Neil, Brennan, Mitchell, Easton, Friend, Kerr, Whiteman ©, Tabuatamata. Reps: Rossouw, C Jeffery, L Jeffery, Brock, Button