Brentwood’s third foray round the North Circular in six weeks this time took them to newly promoted Wanstead who, like Brentwood, had also yet to lose a game this season. A reasonable crowd had gathered hoping to see a good contest in spite of the miserable weather and they weren’t to be disappointed.

Wanstead started strongly and a kick which skidded along the wet ground put Brentwood in bother too close to their own try line early on, but some stern maul defence and a big scrum saw them weather the initial storm before getting themselves into the game.
In the next five or so minutes Brentwood played the conditions well, aggressive defence paired with some lovely Sam Cappaert tactical kicking forcing Wanstead to try and play too much in their own half with Brentwood capitalising on some errors to win back the ball and eventually earn a penalty which Sam kicked, 0-3.

Brentwood kept the pressure on, getting back into Wanstead’s 22 almost immediately after some heavy route one carries had garnered a penalty and scored the game’s opening try shortly after. A period of pressure with some prominent carrying from James Vogel, George Bassenger and Jack Mayes saw a crash up the blindside wing from Ewan May rewarded with another penalty which Brentwood put in the corner. The lineout was taken at the front by James Killington and the maul set, before it was sent out to Eamon Tiernan to barrel through the middle. The ball went loose, shooting out of the side of a ruck but Will McArthur did well to recover it and still make ground before it was quickly recycled to the blindside where Wanstead were short on numbers, Sam Cappaert sliding through to score and converting his own try to extend Brentwood’s lead to 0-10.

It took only three minutes for Brentwood to score another, Wanstead putting the restart out on the full to immediately give Brentwood an attacking scrum on halfway; a grubber through from Ewan May also not being regathered and Brentwood able to reset on the ten-metre line. A long pass out to the wing didn’t quite work out and was intercepted but Jack Richards did well, steaming through on the bat back from Wanstead to nab the ball back once more. Despite being outnumbered, the trio of George Bassenger, Kieran Ballinger and Andy Sutton managed to interplay and keep hold of the ball between them until further support arrived to secure possession. A strong follow up carry from Alfie Adams pulled in three defenders leaving a gap down the side of the ruck which Kieran needed no invitation to take, darting through before pulling a great reverse pass into the bread basket of the onrushing James Vogel who steamed through and despite a tap tackle skated over for the try. Sam Cappaert added the extras, 0-17.

Very much in the ascendency, Brentwood were quickly back into Wanstead’s half again via a well-positioned kick from Ewan May which was hurriedly cleared giving Brentwood another good attacking platform, eventually resulting in another kickable penalty opportunity. Sam Cappaert made no mistake in adding another 3, 0-20 which is how the score remained at half time.

Once again though, it seems half time did Brentwood no favours. Whilst Wanstead were always going to come out fighting I’d really just love not spend a second half with my blood pressure through the roof…The omens weren’t good when Brentwood, who had been handling pretty well in spite of the sodden conditions, dropped the restart and from the resultant scrum Wanstead almost made it over for the try – only a Ewan May last man tackle which Kieran Ballinger swiftly assisted with stopping the ball carrier on the try line.

The deluge had now stopped and with Wanstead looking to move the ball a bit more, Brentwood were forced into long periods of defence and although it was a very solid effort, it did mean a fair amount of time spent in their own half. Matters were further compounded when Andy Sutton saw yellow and 14-man Brentwood couldn’t quite hold out, Wanstead’s try coming through a strong break through the middle, an offload through the tackle getting them over by the posts, 7-20.

Wanstead then saw another yellow card to take the game to 14 vs 14 but not long after again found success with a break straight through the middle, Brentwood’s chasing cover unable to prevent a second try, 14-20 and suddenly the home support got significantly noisier…
Brentwood though dug deep and in spite of a Wanstead onslaught defended commendably, making tackle after tackle; finally pilfering the ball at the back of a lineout to escape their own half for what felt like the first time in an age. They were rewarded further when, having kept the ball through multiple phases and worked their way up the pitch, they won a penalty which was within kicking range and George Bassenger sensibly pointed straight at the sticks. Up stepped Ewan May for a kick that certainly wasn’t an easy one but over it went giving Brentwood an 9-point lead and a modicum of breathing space, 14-23.

There were still somehow 10 minutes left to play in which Brentwood kept finding themselves on the wrong end of the whistle but still showed real defensive grit, absolutely not allowing Wanstead through. Just 5 out from Brentwood’s try line and with time nearly up, the ball spilled loose from Wanstead and Tom Walker went haring up the pitch followed by Ewan May finding acres of the space with the boot before Eamon Tiernan latched onto the ball for a penalty and with that the win was finally Brentwood’s.

For Brentwood this was another good away performance where again they had to dig deep but showed good fortitude to hold out for the win and remain unbeaten in what was a really good and well contested game.

Next week Brentwood welcome Chelmsford to King George’s hoping to make it 5 from 5. Chelmsford’s form is about as predictable as this league with their results varying from very large wins over Rochford, Stowmarket and Holt where they scored a combined total of 203 points but also two relatively heavy defeats to Westcliff and Harlow where they conceded 118…Irrespective, with Ladies Day at the club expecting to bring another large home crowd, Brentwood will be wanting to put on a good performance in both halves (hopefully!).