After a narrow defeat away to Harlow, this week Brentwood welcomed Saffron Walden to a still sunny King George’s. Saffron Walden were also promoted to Regional 2 Anglia but, having enjoyed an unbeaten season in Counties 1 Eastern Counties, had won only one of their opening four games in this league.

Playing down the slope in their red Challenging MND charity kit, Brentwood’s start was strong, winning an early penalty which Jamie Cox put into the corner 5 metres out. Brentwood’s lineout was accurate, the ball at the front well taken by Dan Suttle, and the perfectly executed maul wasted no time in charging over; Eamon Tiernan emerging from the pile of bodies with the ball to give Brentwood a 5-0 lead with under 5 minutes gone.

A couple of minutes later Brentwood won a scrum penalty by the halfway line from which Jamie Cox put in an excellent touch finder to the opposite corner. Changing it up a bit, this time the lineout went to George Bassenger and Brentwood set the maul again but the result was the same, Andy Sutton peeling off the side to reach and score the try which was converted by Jamie, 12-0.

Having weathered a period of Saffron Walden possession and territory, Brentwood’s third came ten minutes later with a dose of deja-vu. Another Jamie Cox penalty kick was put into the corner, Dan Suttle took the lineout at the front and the maul rumbled over once more for Andy Sutton to claim his second of the afternoon, 17-0.

Brentwood then suffered a small discipline implosion, this season’s new high tackle laws still making no friends with Isaac Kibirige seeing yellow for an accumulation of high tackle penalties before Brentwood were reduced to 13 when George Bassenger joined the naughty step for what was apparently deemed a judo throw…

Brentwood played the 13-man period well but Saffron Walden got their first try of the day whilst Brentwood were still down to 14, getting over the line though the middle of a ruck having kept hold of the ball and gone through the phases. The conversion cut Brentwood’s lead to ten, 17-7.

Two minutes later though it was time for Saffron Walden’s first yellow of the day for a penalty which abruptly halted a flowing Brentwood attack after Tom Walker had made a lot of ground through the middle and Brentwood’s support were pouring through. Jamie Cox stuck the penalty in the corner once more and again the ball to Dan Suttle at the front was good. This time however, anticipating the maul, Saffron Walden tried to step off and cause the accidental offside – a risky strategy that close to your line and Dan Suttle needed no invite to take the space that was suddenly available to him, bouncing the last defender to get Brentwood’s bonus point try, 22-7 at half time.

If Brentwood thought they’d wrapped the game up in the first half, the opening two minutes of the second half proved them very wrong. An on the money kick off from Saffron Walden saw them reclaim the restart before a couple of good line breaks saw them in at the corner for their second, 22-12.

From the restart though Saffron Walden then added their second yellow, a slightly mistimed hit on Luke Watson seeing him taken in the air, and Brentwood went to the corner again. This time, and being a bit further out, they didn’t maul, Jack Mayes breaking and going close before Eamon Tiernan crashed the ball up and was also just short. A large blindside had opened up and Luke Watson rushing to that side attracted the eye of one too many Saffron Walden defenders, Jamie Cox feigning to go that way before pulling the pass back to Tom Walker in midfield. Tom pulled in the defender before throwing a great one handed pass over the top to Isaac Kibirige who went over in the corner for the try, Jamie’s conversion extended Brentwood’s lead to 29-12.

Brentwood’s 6th try came about ten minutes later and was a well worked team effort starting from another accurate lineout just behind Brentwood’s 10-metre line. Some good carries from Dan Suttle and Eamon Tiernan followed by a strong bust up the middle from Matt Whaley gave Brentwood good go forward before the ball was recycled quickly and Fraser Parris took it on further, offloading to Sam Kendall. Sam broke on the outside shoulder of the defender, making it all the way to just before the Saffron Walden 22 before drawing the last man and getting the pass away to the supporting Isaac Kibirige who put the burners, going past the attempted cover to run round under the posts and make Jamie’s life a bit easier, 36-12.

Another yellow card was brandished for Saffron Walden before Brentwood added to their tally once more. From an attacking lineout in Saffron Walden’s 22 the ball went straight to Sam Kendall who battered through 3 attempted tackles before being dragged down. Alert to the space, Fraser Parris picked the ball up quickly and carried through the gap left open by the side of the ruck before freeing his arms from the tackle to get the ball away to Jamie Cox who bundled over the try line for the score. The conversion to his own try extended Brentwood’s lead to 43-12.

Five minutes later, Saffron Walden pulled one back having had Brentwood under pressure for a reasonable time through multiple phases before a strong break from their centre eluded Brentwood’s tackle attempts to take the score to 43-17.

It was Brentwood though who would have the final say, a penalty straight from the restart allowing them to go back to the first half tried and tested approach of stick it in the corner. Dan Suttle once again took the ball at the front and the maul was set with Eamon Tiernan this time breaking off and bumping the last tackle to score, Jamie’s conversion taking the full time score to 50-17.

For Brentwood a pleasing, clinical performance and good to get back to winning ways. Next week sees the league take a break before Stowmarket visit King George’s on 14th October. Stowmarket are currently 7th to Brentwood’s 6th with Brentwood running out 33-19 winners in the same fixture last season.