COLCHESTER Rugby Club suffered their heaviest defeat of the season after losing at newly-crowned champions Westcombe Park, writes EDWARD MARRIAGE.

An out-of-sorts Colchester conceded nine tries in the 60-19 defeat as Westcombe Park completed a home-and-away double over Colchester.

As a result, Westcombe Park secured the Regional 1 South East league title and deservedly claimed promotion to the fourth level of English rugby.

The Blacks can have few complaints about the outcome and now have two away league matches to claim runners-up spot to round off what has been a highly successful first season back in National 3.

Head coach Craig Burrows conceded Westcombe Park were much the better side.

He said: “It was a very good performance from them. We were lacking in a few areas and it showed.

“They’ve been a good side since the start of the season. We couldn’t match them. On a good day we’d be just as good as them but today was their day.”

Playing up the slope on a chilly but still day, Colchester were effectively blown away by a first-half barrage from the home side, who scored four tries inside half an hour to open up a 29-0 lead.

Two of the scores were near-identical tries by Keiran Thompson down the left wing.

Starved of any meaningful possession, Colchester were feeding off scraps and it took a typical bit of inventiveness from Jimmy Mpailane to get the visitors on the scoreboard.

The full-back collected the ball close to half-way, chipped over a rather static home defence and regathered the ball to run in under the posts.

Corey Button converted to make it 29-7.

But the relief was short-lived as a further try from Calum Harris had Westcombe Park 36-7 up at the break as Jerone Awesu replaced Dan Maling and Alex Gerard came on for Haydn Sykes.

The home side increased their lead still further early in the second half through Harry Hudson’s try, before Colchester put a rare backs move together, leading to Connor O’Reilly’s try in the left corner.

Some home supporters claimed the wing had knocked on over the line, but the referee rightly ruled that the ball had rebounded off his head.

Back came Westcombe Park with a further try but then followed Colchester’s best move of the game.

It was created by the impressive Gerard, then taken on by Brett Cutbush who looped around the blindside to release Mpailane for his second try.

However any hope of an unlikely comeback, or at least a try bonus point, was snuffed out by two further Westcombe Park tries, the final whistle prompting wild celebrations amongst the home players and supporters - and a certain amount of relief for the shell-shocked Colchester contingent.

On Saturday third-placed Colchester go to Harpenden, one place below them in the league and Burrows has no worries about lifting the players.

He added: “Talking to the boys, everyone is very deflated but I’m pretty sure they’ll bounce back up.”

Colchesrer's Ravens lost 40-26 at Fakenham, the thirds won 20-19 at Brightlingsea but the fourths lost 32-12 to Harwich and Dovercourt.

Colchester: Mpailane, O’Reilly, Bodkin, Thomas, Liversidge, Button, Cutbush; Maling, Butler, McMillan, Eason (c), L Pickett, Sykes, Kerr, Read. Reps: Awesu, Sooalo, Gerard.