ROCHFORD HUNDRED 27

SHELFORD 7

Rochford proved they were worthy champions by signing off with a win against the team who had led London Three for much of the campaign.

Shelford, out to prove a point, came out in determined mood but Rochford were in the same frame of mind and it was obvious they wanted to end the season with a flourish.

Sure enough, Ben Green finished off a flowing move to open the scoring with a try, converted by Mark Sexton.

The next try came from powerful centre Alan Barker, having one of his best games, who broke through to score under the posts for Sexton to convert.

Shelford, though never having the strength in their back division to prove a major threat, were applying steady pressure up front.

Indeed, they were camped on the home side's line at the end of the First half until magnificent defence allowed Rochford to clear. The referee blew for half-time shortly afterwards.

This was the turning point. Shelford had thrown their big guns at the champions to no avail and Jamie Banks forced the point home when he raced in for his 25th try of the season.

The game became static at this stage and it looked as if the two sides would cancel each other out. However, Rochford won possession under their own posts and the ball was moved swiftly out to Barker.

As the Shelford defence closed in, John Payne took the pass and scored one of the best Rochford tries of the season. Mark Sexton converted to make it 27-0.

Shelford, to their credit, never gave up and were rewarded with a late converted try.

Rochford Harts and Rochford Rams both beat Shelford teams.

Breaking through - A Rochford player races up the field on the way to setting up the team's final try in the 27-7 win over Shelford

Picture: ROBIN WOOSEY

Old boy Harman returns to haunt battling Southend

ROMFORD & GIDEA PARK 30

SOUTHEND 0

Southend saw their hopes of ending the season in style crushed by former player Kevin Harman.

The former Warners Park man scored a try, two penalties and two conversions in a scoreline which flattered the Gidea Park team, who ended the season in fourth place in London Two.

This was not the walkover Romford believed it would be, with Southend's forwards gettiing the better of their counterparts.

Once again, it was an opponents' superiority in the backs division which proved costly for the seaside club. Romford's backs had better handling skills and made their scoring opportunities count late in the game.

It needed the skills of Harman to break open an even first half when he scored a try and a penalty to give Romford an 8-0 half-time lead.

Harman kicked another penalty early in the second half but it wasn't until late in the game that Romford pulled away with three tries that gave them a flattering result.

Southend had every reason to be disappointed after competing on equal terms for most of the game. Even so, a young team has made big strides and are looking ahead to next season with optimism.

Pike returns to push Basildon into second

ETON MANOR 19

BASILDON 28

Richard Pike put the bite on the opposition as Essex Cup winners Basildon ended a fine season by clinching second place in London League Three.

Veteran Pike, whose first team chances have been limited by injury this season, came good in the final match to score 18 of Basildon's 28 points.

The result meant that Basildon finished second behind neighbours Rochford after a late-season run which saw them unbeaten in all competitions since Christmas.

However, the new towners by no means had it all their own way as Eton Manor, a much-improved outfit than the team Basildon knocked out of the Essex Cup, staged a late comeback.

Basildon were cruising at 21-7 midway through the second half after the dominant Pike, having taken over the kicking duties from Matthew Tilson, scored a try, a conversion and three penalties.

His try, following sustained Basildon pressure in the first 15 minutes, came was the result of a scrum in front of the Manor posts. The ball was worked out wide and Pike raced in to give the new towners a 5-0 lead.

Manor hit back with a very good try but it was all Basildon for the rest of the first half and Pike kicked two penalties to give them an 11-7 half-time lead.

With Phil Foster and Matt Bryan winning the majority of line-outs, Basildon were getting plenty of ball and it was no surprise when they dominated the opening exchanges of the second half.

First Pike kicked a penalty and then Australian half-back Spencer Cackett raced over following good work by Craig Dockerill to extend the lead to 19-7. With Pike kicking the conversion, Basildon looked in little danger.

But Manor hit back when a missed tackle in the three-quarters allowed them a converted try. When an interception saw them scoring again, Basildon were sweating.

But they needn't have worried. Matt Tilson kicked the ball high and long and speedy winger Lloyd Williams nipped in ahead of the opposition winger and full back to claim the clinching score. Fittingly, Pike had the last word when he kicked the conversion.

Defeat leaves Tees on a knife-edge

HARLOW 37

THURROCK 14

Thurrock face an anxious wait to discover their fate after a devastating loss in their final League game against high-flying Harlow.

The RFU is not scheduled to make a final decision on the new make-up of the London League until May, giving Tees a long wait to find out whether they stay in London One.

A win over Harlow would probably have been enough to ensure their place but a loss leaves them hovering close to the feared cut-off point in ninth spot. Just to add to the intrigue, 10th-placed Thanet Wanderers could yet overtake Tees with a win in their final game of the season.

Spokesman Kevin Hymas is remaining cautious but says he is hopeful his team will survive the cut.

"We think the threat has subsided but the RFU always seem to throw a spanner in the works. It's fingers-crossed time," he said.

Thurrock can count themselves unlucky to lose this match after a succession of injuries cost them dearly. Already missing scrum-half Paul Dale with a broken leg, Thurrock then saw replacement Hika Reid carried injured from the field within five minutes of the start.

Veteran Steve Edwards stepped in to replace the stricken former All-Black, but Harlow seized the initiative and had established a 20-3 lead at half-time.

Thurrock regrouped after the interval and two Rob Rees penalties, plus an unconverted try from Ben Siaw, drew them to within 20-14.

At this stage Thurrock were in the ascendancy and a victory seemed possible. But a devastating spell of three tries in five minutes from Harlow left Thurrock sweating on their London One place.

Too late for Wyverns

RAYLEIGH WYVERNS 20

IMPERIAL 21

A late fightback from Wyverns narrowly failed to stop tourists Imperial from recording a victory.

The Bristol side took the lead with two tries before Guy Taylor hit back for Rayleigh late in the first half.

Another converted try from the visitors stung Rayleigh into action and second-half tries from Simon Bowder, James Allen and a second from Taylor pulled them to within a point.

Hope come good late on

MILLWALL ALBION 10

STANFORD-LE-HOPE 41

Stanford once again had to overcome a tentative start before recording yet another victory in their unbeaten League campaign.

The south Essex side have already wrapped up the Eastern Counties Three (South) title but have been slow starters of late. In their previous two matches they had trailed at the half before coming to life in the second period to win comfortably.

So it proved again against Millwall. This time they were in the lead 12-10 at the break before stepping up a gear to score 29 unanswered points in the second half.

The key to the second-half turnaround was the performance of the forwards - Kevin Dann, Darren Watkins and Matt Elder - who only lost two scrums all day.

Dann capped an especially good performance with his second try of the season in the second half. Stanford's other tries came from prolific full-back Gavin Scott, who scored a hat-trick, and wingers Rob Maher and Mark Connelly (two).

Islanders slip up at the last

CANVEY 5

BURY ST EDMUNDS 18

Canvey were leapfrogged in the standings by a determined Bury side in their final London Three North-east game of the season.

Bury are a physical team whose skills up-front allowed them to grind down the Canvey team.

The Suffolk side opened with a penalty but Canvey's speed and guile proved useful early on and they took the lead with a try in the corner from winger David Dennis.

The kick from the sideline was missed and Bury took advantage to score another penalty to give them a 6-5 half-time lead.

Bury's forwards were grinding Canvey down as the game went on and sealed their points in the second half with two tries and a conversion.

The loss means Canvey dropped to 10th with Bury moving into ninth position, but Islanders spokesman Christopher Davey is not worried about the team losing its spot in London Three after the forthcoming League restructuring.

"We think we're in the safe area but it's too late to start worrying now," he admitted.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.