COLCHESTER Rugby Club fought back from a big early deficit to beat in-form CS Stags 31-13 with a performance hailed by several seasoned club observers as the finest they had witnessed for many years, writes EDWARD MARRIAGE.

Behind 13-0 inside the first quarter, Colchester scored 31 unanswered points in a remarkable turnaround, securing a try-scoring bonus point for the third match running in Regional 1 South East.

Colchester head coach Craig Burrows said: “We kept our composure, the boys stuck to it and I’m really chuffed with that outcome.”

The one blot on an otherwise excellent day for Colchester were injuries to centre Jacob Bodkin (ribs), hooker Sam Butler (leg) and lock Liam Pickett, who was knocked out late on and will now undergo return-to-play protocols.

Colchester had the rare luxury of naming an unchanged starting XV, but soon found themselves trailing as debutant scrum-half Max Tipping converted his own try and kicked two penalties.

From the 20-minute mark, however, it was all Colchester. Three times The Blacks crossed the visitors’ try-line, each time denied by the referee or their own errors.

With Luke Rokomoce on for Bodkin and Stags down to 14 men, the pressure had to tell and sure enough Butler crossed from a five metre scrum won against the head. Chris Lewis converted to make it 13-7, at the break.

Colchester dominated proceedings in a near-flawless second-half, shutting out the Stags and scoring four further tries.

Jimmy Mpailane was through for a try but play was pulled back for a marginal forward pass.

No matter: minutes later Ross Taylor broke and passed to Mpailane who in turn fed Rokomoce for the score. Lewis converted.

Sai Vunivesilevu came on for his debut in place of scrum-half Matt Mellish and Colchester turned the screw with three more tries in the final quarter, the forwards now enjoying themselves running the Stags’ pack ragged.

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Two tries inevitably came from rolling mauls, Sam Easton, complete with impressive head bandage after an earlier cut, and James Mitchell, who had replaced brother Alex at half-time, getting the final touches.

By then Mpailane had scored the bonus point try, galloping in down the left.

Burrows was left purring at the forwards’ performance.

He said: “Oh that’s such a good tool to have. For us to be in the position where we could take their ball and secure our own, that’s really nice to have as a coach.”

While pleased with another try bonus point, Burrows was just as happy with keeping Stags pointless for the final hour.

“Outstanding. That’s a goal which we set before the game,” said the coach. “As I keep saying to the boys, we are getting better every week.”

Colchester face two huge challenges in the coming fortnight. In two weeks runaway leaders Westcombe Park, who have won nine from nine this season, visit Raven Park.

Before that, The Blacks travel to second-placed Tring on Saturday.

Sponsors Maquire Roofing named Danny Whiteman and Adam Thomas as joint men-of-the-match while the coach’s award went to Jimmy Mpailane.

Elsewhere The Ravens continued their winning run with a terrific 22-19 bonus point victory at previously-unbeaten North Walsham.

Colchester thirds beat Hadleigh 17-7 but the fifths lost 24-17 at Harwich.

Colchester: Mpailane, O’Reilly, Bodkin, Thomas, Taylor, Lewis, Mellish; McMillan, Butler, A Mitchell, L Pickett, Easton (c), Kerr, Whiteman, H Pickett. Reps: J Mitchell, Rokomoce, Vunivesilevu.