Match Report vs Norwich

On a bright but breezy day, Brentwood welcomed Norwich to King George’s in the hope of bouncing back from last week’s disappointment against Southend.

Going uphill and into the wind, Brentwood started strongly and, having got into Norwich’s half, Brentwood worked hard and patiently going through double figures in phases to get within 5 metres of Norwich’s tryline before Jamie Cox spied enough of a gap to get through and score a really well constructed team try, 5-0.

The following fifteen minutes saw Norwich begin to get their own foothold in the game and although Brentwood did have a couple of breakaway opportunities, it was a testament to some very committed Brentwood defence that Norwich did not get their first points of the day having been camped in Brentwood’s 22 until a combination of a strong Ewan May tackle and Fraser Parris being rapid over the ball on the floor finally alleviated the pressure for Brentwood.

It was Brentwood though who were to score again next, having cleared the ball away as far as the ten metre line a few phases were played out before Jack Mayes suddenly exploded through the midfield, making a lightening break up to the 22 before finding Eamon Tiernan on the inside support line. Norwich’s cover did very well just to snag him before the try line but with the ball being slowed down illegally Brentwood had the penalty 5 metres out. You might know what’s happening but it’s still pretty difficult to stop, the lethal tap and go to Charlie Parker being deployed successfully once more with Jamie’s conversion extending Brentwood’s lead to 12-0.

Brentwood added a third only three minutes later after some more patient build up play led to a break from Aled Williams round the fringes of a ruck just outside the 22. He popped the ball off to the supporting Dan Suttle who tried to swot off the attentions of Norwich’s tackler as they both headed towards the corner but, when not quite able to shake him, managed to pirouette back in field before the touchline and get the ball away to Kieran Ballinger who stepped and went over for the try. Jamie’s conversion gave Brentwood a 19-0 lead.

The tide however then very abruptly turned, and Norwich roared back into the contest; a series of line breaks through what had otherwise been a very solid Brentwood defence putting Brentwood in all sorts of bother and culminating in Charlie Parker being given a ten-minute breather by the referee. From the resulting penalty Norwich went for the scrum 5 metres out, picking and going over from the following couple of phases, 19-7.

Five minutes later they added their second when Brentwood could not recover from a lineout that went awry between the ten-metre line and the 22, Norwich countering quickly and gaining a penalty which they put into the corner. Brentwood’s maul defence was good but being light in the scrum did them no favours, the ball coming out messily and being turned over before Norwich blasted through the midfield for the try, 19-14.

There was somehow still time for more play in the half which meant that whilst Charlie had now returned to the fray, Brentwood were swiftly back to 14 men again when Tauren Henwood was sent to the bin; Norwich could have gone into half time ahead were it not for Ewan May just getting enough on a tackle in the corner to force a foot in touch and half time.

Norwich though did take the lead 5 minutes into the second half. In deja-vu of some the games earlier in the season, Brentwood did come out strongly but failed to capitalise on a concerted period of pressure and were punished spectacularly when, having been turned over in Norwich’s 22, Norwich ran the ball out and scored a great length of the field counterattack try, 19-21.

The unease amongst the long suffering Brentwood support was starting to mount but Brentwood bounced back, an important turnover from Eamon Tiernan when Norwich were starting to look lively on the break again giving Brentwood a penalty which resulted in a lineout just inside Norwich’s 22. The maul was well set and made inroads before the ball was crashed through the middle a couple of times in quick succession and then went wide to Colby Dobson who was just caught short of the line. Fortunately, Jack Rocke was on hand to prove he’s as fastidious from 2 yards out as he is with a touch judge flag to go over for the try in the corner, Jamie’s conversion giving Brentwood back the lead 26-21.

The following 15 or so minutes were scoreless with a fair amount of play in the middle of the pitch although both teams did have a couple of half chances. The next score though came from Norwich after Brentwood somewhat inexplicably turned down a three point opportunity and were made to immediately regret it when, having failed to score a try, Norwich went the length of the field again in another cracking counterattack effort, 26-28.

With Norwich with the wind now fully in their sails and the stress on the touchline through the roof, Brentwood found themselves having to defend keenly before a tandem chop tackle and turnover from Fraser Parris and Tauren Henwood allowed them to relieve the pressure. Earning another penalty on Norwich’s ten metre line, Brentwood this time did go for the kick, but it just drifted and shortly afterwards Dan Suttle looked to have made it over the line but was deemed held up. Brentwood though did regain a slender lead moments later when Aled Williams pounced on the ball as Norwich tried to run it out of the 22, Jamie making no error in the much closer kick, 29-28.

With only minutes left to play, in their eagerness to try and pull back the lead Norwich were offside at the restart and the penalty gave Brentwood the downhill momentum. The lineout was won successfully, and Brentwood ran hard up the middle of the pitch a couple of times before Tauren Henwood twisted out of several tackles allowing Brentwood to advance rapidly; James Killington taking the ball on further before Luke Watson had a jink further still and Eamon Tiernan on the crash had the strength to bounce through a tackle and bundle over for the score. With the conversion missing, 34-28 and still time for a restart Brentwood had not quite secured the win yet but the ball was just about collected, Jamie Cox booting it into touch for the full time whistle.

For Brentwood, a mixed bag of a performance where at times they were coasting and at others clinging on for dear life but pleasing to run out victors in the end with Norwich taking away two very well-deserved bonus points.

The league season draws to its conclusion on Saturday as Brentwood head away to play 9th placed Dagenham knowing that a bonus point win and the right permutation of other results could see them finish 4th. Brentwood won the game on the opening day of the season by a slender two points and will need to bring their top form if they want to finish the league season on a high.