What differences there were in skill levels between the two sides on Saturday were neutralised on a heavy pitch which was deemed to be just about playable when Chingford started the game playing into a strong wind.

Early failure by Brentwood to take their own lineout ball in their 22 resulted in Chingford crossing the line only for the ball to be held up.

Chingford took another Brentwood line-out ball and subsequently gained the put in at a scrum close to the try line. This they wheeled and their flanker had no difficulty grounding the ball this time.

Brentwood then got some momentum into their game but several times lost the ball when close to the line.

Despite the ball being greasy they were willing to move it through their three-quarter line and a strong run by Church took him just short of the line wide out on the right.

Fowley, in close support, got his hand on the loose ball to even the score after 15 minutes.

Rarely were Chingford out of their own half and when they did make progress, Reynolds kicked them back down the pitch.

From a penalty inside the Brentwood half he found touch in the right hand corner.

Brentwood failed to take advantage of this strong attacking position as they also failed to do when their three-quarter play took them close.

Eventually Reynolds kicked them into the lead ten minutes before half-time. Brentwood continued to threaten the try line up to half-time without reward.

Both sides were resplendent in changed shirts as Brentwood restarted the second half.

With the wind behind them, Chingford came back to contest the game in the middle of the park for the early period.

Brentwood went close to scoring after 15 minutes when two big drives at scrums took them close to the try line which they crossed once only for the ball to be held up.

An infringement by Brentwood only five metres from their target offered Chingford relief and they slowly progressed up the field.

Further infringements by Brentwood left them to defend a line-out ball close to the try line, the most threatening position that Chingford had managed to get into since they had scored their opening try.

Again Brentwood infringed and a quickly taken tap penalty let Chingford's scrum half touch down for a converted try to give them a 12-8 lead.

The conditions took their toll on the Brentwood pack. Chingford were able to make big gains at the set scrums and driving mauls and held Brentwood inside their own half for the final quarter.

After one of Chingford's props had been denied a try, they kicked a penalty from in front of the posts on the stroke of full time.

Following their recent encouraging performances against better sides this was a thoroughly disappointing result for Brentwood.

Chingford's forwards had edged them out by taking the limited opportunities that they had created or had been given.

Saturday sees Brentwood playing a friendly at Beckenham (k.o. 2.15pm).

Brentwood: Twidale, Church, Miller (Taylor, 53), Stephens, Harding, Reynolds, Bywater, Kirby, Brook, Lee (v. Delft, 70), Killington, Enderby, Metcalfe, Bell (Pain, 60), and Fowley.

Passing along the line . . Old Brentwoods set up an attack against Burnham in Saturday's match that Burnham won 21-13.

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