RUGBY: STANFORD’S first string lost 10-5 to Brightlingsea at the weekend.

The encounter was a stop start affair with both teams finding it hard to settle.

Visitors Stanford scored first through Greg Rumble who, after some great scrummaging and rucking work by his fellow forwards, powered his way over the line.

The conditions were not great for kicking and the conversions drifted wide.

Brightlingsea had the upper hand in most of the scrums and dominated with the tight controls and some inspired work by their flankers.

This led to some good physical play to bring them level, but again the extra two points went begging. At half time with the scores all square.

After the restart it did not take long for the Brightlingsea captain to get his second try of the day.

The rest of the game ebbed and flowed with Brightlingsea still having the upper hand in the scrums but Stanford ruck extremely well and defending clinically.