COLCHESTER Rugby Club's unbeaten A side finished a superb season by securing a magnificent promotion.

A league reshuffle meant Colchester twos had to fight for promotion one last time against local rivals Harwich and Dovercourt, in Eastern Counties division two south.

They ran out 19-17 winners at Mill Road to earn their place in Eastern Counties One for next season.

Colchester scored their first try when flanker James West dashed over the line after centre Jon Perry had burst through the visitors' defence and offloaded.

The swift breeze made the conversion difficult for full back Sam Conner who just missed the uprights.

Harwich's visiting pack were immense, dominating the majority of the scrums and Colchester were pushed back far before the ball was passed out wide to the visitors' awaiting backs.

But as Harwich looked to swing the ball out to their winger, Colchester captain Dave Lawrence read the pass and rushed in to intercept and bolted over the try line.

Conner converted to give Colchester a 12-point lead but Harwich reduced the deficit to seven points before half-time with a try at the end of the first half.

And Harwich's dominance in the forward pack proved fruitful again in the second half when they drove over for their second try of the game which was converted to level the scores at 12-12.

But after winning an important lineout, hooker James Fisher's arrow perfectly picked out Andrew Sutcliffe at the back and dropped down into a strong maul.

Colchester edged ever closer to the try line and Lawrence went over the line, before Conner added the extras to give the hosts a 19-12 lead.

After conceding a yellow card at the scrum Colchester found themselves down to 14 men for the remainder of the game. Harwich took advantage by scoring in the corner and although they failed with their conversion attempt, it made for a nervy final few minutes.

Although Colchester missed a penalty attempt in front of the posts, it helped waste some precious seconds.

Harry Smith kicked the ball into touch and the final whistle prompted a mass of Colchester supporters to rush onto the pitch and congratulate their winning team.