T's outstripped following mistake (From Thurrock Gazette)

Thurrock match Westcombee Park for much of match

10:14am Wednesday 27th February 2013 in Sport

Westcombe Park 35,

Thurrock 18

RUGBY: SCORELINES sometimes fail to reflect the effort and commitment of a match.

And this was the way it was for Thurrock’s first string at the weekend when the two teams were at level pegging for much of the game.

It was 13-13 until a mistake in defence saw Thurrock conceded a try from centre Hough.

And this seemed to knock the stuffing out them.

It was the first of three tries conceded in the last quarter.

But it also coincided with two injuries that changed the shape of Thurrock’s team.

Hooker and captain Reece Durrance and centre Lewis Pruce both left the field with knee injuries.

This bodyblow was added to the shoulder injury to Jake Barrand in the first half which will see him out for the rest of the season.

It was a bad day for the Thurrock squad in terms of injuries.

Frankie Neale opened the scoring for Thurrock, with a fine try which he converted himself.

The points came in the first 15 minutes and saw T’s lead 7-0. Luke Giles pegged back a penalty for the home side before a catch and drive led to a score from prop Conlon.

Giles added the conversion for Park to lead 10-7.

With the last kick of the half Giles added a further penalty to give Westcombe a 13-7 lead.

Losing Markus Burcham for 10 minutes for the penalty offence that led to the last minute penalty made little difference as Neale added a penalty, then a further penalty when Thurrock were back to 15 players.

At this point the game could have gone either way.

But Park showed much more clinical finishing as tries from Davies and Edwards took the game away. Giles added the extra conversion points from the Davies try.

Replacement Simpson then added the conversion to Edwards try. Ben Timson gave the T’s some hope later on in the match. The forward got a score in the corner in between the two late tries.

But it was to no avail as a penalty rubbed salt into Thurrock’s wounds.

But the borough does not have a chance to rest. Thurrock are at home to CS Rugby tomorrow (Saturday) with the kick-off at 3pm at Oakfield.