HALSTEAD 69

CLACTON II 15

Greene King Eastern Counties League division three south

DESPITE missing some key personnel, Halstead Templars bounced back from an under par display the previous week by claiming a dominant Greene King Eastern Counties League division three south win against the Clacton Kestrels.

It was fly-half Jack Pawsey who got the scoreboard ticking as he scythed his way through some very ordinary tackling to cross in the right corner for the first of Templars' 11 tries.

He then went on to convert his own try to make the score 7-0 on his way to a personal tally of 19 points.

Jordan Samuel, relishing his time playing in the number eight role, was a consistent source of trouble for the Clacton back row and he picked the ball up from the back of a dominant Halstead scrum before crossing to make the score 12-0.

Even at this early stage it looked like the Templars were simply too good for their visitors, who were repelled by outstanding tackling from second row Ryan Rainer and flankers Callum Smith and man-of-the-match Ben Bird.

Clacton did manage to get on the board, though, and a try made it 12-5, but Halstead immediately struck back with front row Mike Blakeborough barrelling through for a try and Pawsey adding the coversion.

From the kick-off, Halstead struck again when Ed Merry ran 50 yards to make the score 26-5.

The Templars, now confident that they could run the ball from anywhere, tried to do just that from inside their own 22 and a wayward pass was picked off as Clacton scored their second try

Oli Cuthbert made up for the Templars error, though, as he charged past the Kestrels' defence to touch down and make the half-time score 31-10.

The scoring was as consistent in the second half as it was in the first and captain Adi Illingworth plucked a loose ball out of the air and dived over the line for his first try of the game, while Bird was next on the scoresheet and Pawsey added the conversion for a 43-10 lead.

A low point in the game came just short of the hour mark as Samuel was was adjudged to have thrown a punch and received a straight red card, however, the home fans had something to cheer when Cuthbert's pace carried him over for another try.

Illingworth then outpaced his covering defender for his second try of the game and the team's tenth try came as Bird went over to make the score 62-10.

Steve Fellowes, usually noted for his defence, got in on the action in the final seconds to run in a score from 30 yards out, but before the celebrations had finished, Clacton stole a last-gasp try for a final score of 69-15.