Welwyn 0 – 22 Brentwood

Early in November the home fixture with Welwyn ended with a narrow victory 32 – 24. Since then Brentwood have resided in the bottom half of the league and currently have eleven points, while Welwyn are last with a miserable total of minus three points.

Coach Fred Lewis was forced to make two changes to last weeks team with Adam Thomas starting at inside centre and veteran hooker Dave Brooks coming in at number two.

On a windless dry afternoon Welwyn kicked off and immediately Brentwood made ground into Welwyn’s twenty two. A penalty to the home side enables them to clear to halfway. For the next ten minutes play was contained midfield with both sides unable to establish any superiority.

Into the second quarter and Brentwood scored their first try. A fine break in the centre followed by penetrating team handling saw scrum half Joe Cook weaving his way to the line. Winger James Cowen missed the difficult conversion but the visitors were now ahead 5 – 0. Almost immediately full-back Emile Solomans combined with Cowen to take play back into Welwyn’s 22. A clearing kick charged down maintained the Brentwood pressure. However as the game got bogged down on the muddy pitch the visitors allowed themselves to be dragged into Welwyn’s rucking and mauling tactics. Into the second quarter Brentwood’s brief dominance had all but disappeared as their play became aimless and lacking energy. Welwyn’s only tactic of charging through their heavy forwards was well contained by the visitors defence. Brentwood’s main thrust came through their scrum-half Joe Cook, making breaks from the back of both scrums and rucks. As the half ended at 5 – 0 to the visitors it had not been a very satisfactory performance and all round improvement was needed to secure the necessary points for a win.

The stalemate was soon broken as Brentwood upped their game adding purpose and drive missing in the first half. From the kick-off good phase one ball was used by Cook to open up Welwyn’s defence before off-loading to Cowen for the second try. The winger missed the conversion but Brentwood at 10 – 0 were now in a much more comfortable position.

The last period saw Brentwood dominant as Welwyn faded badly. Joel Bevans-Royston replaced his brother at prop. As Welwyn mounted their only serious attack of the half but they squandered the chance of scoring and Brentwood cleared the danger.
The fourth try soon followed when a break from a ruck was finished off by centre Adam Thomas. With Cowen converting the game was effectively over at 22- 0. Wing Richard Wyatt and flanker Ben Amato were replaced by Andy Lloyd and Mark Pluck as Welwyn lost a forward into the sin-bin.

Brentwood strived for a further score and Turner went over the line under the posts before being recalled by the referee for a forward pass. A late Welwyn rally was well repulsed and the visitors had won 22 – 0 and secured two points. A game of two halves, a lack luster and aimless first half was followed by a period of total determination and direction which gave, in the end, a well deserved win.

Brentwood move up to tenth in the league, with thirteen points from nineteen games. With seven games to play the club have yet to play the top six in the league plus Harpenden who are currently thirteenth. Next week Brentwood are away to Westcliff, kick off 2.30 pm.
Team:- Northall Brooks Bevans-Royston (A) King Woodcock Amato Beith Roman Cook Stannard Cowen Turner Thomas Wyatt Solomans