FORTRESS Raven Park was finally breached as Colchester lost at home for the first time in 2022, beaten 34-18 by a well-drilled Shelford team, writes EDWARD MARRIAGE.

Colchester performed significantly better than in the previous week’s defeat at Sudbury but are still a work in progress.

The set scrum was largely dominant but the line-out was not, and the attack lacked genuine incision.

Last season’s London 1 North champions Shelford were unquestionably the better team, making few mistakes and comfortably absorbing Colchester’s attacking threats.

Colchester defended their line heroically at times and are not far off - but they still need a spark to ignite their campaign.

It didn’t help that Colchester found themselves behind inside 90 seconds.

The hosts lost the ball just outside their own 22 and Shelford spread it wide to Shingai Chiwanga. Lewis Cracknell converted and kicked a penalty a couple of minutes later.

A shell-shocked Colchester, 10-0 down, finally got on the board with David Higgins’ penalty, and soon gained some edge with the front row destroying Shelford’s scrum and winning the first of a series of scrum penalties.

Higgins made it 6-10 with a kick from wide right.

The referee lost patience as Shelford open-side Harry Rogerson received a “team yellow”. But minutes later Colchester too were down to 14, Adam Thomas dismissed for a suspect tackle.

Shelford’s second try started with a 50 metre break by pacy wing Louie Tang and was finished by Jamie Beswick. Jack Biard scored the visitors’ third, five minutes later.

Colchester finally found some attacking joy on the half hour, the ball recycled by Jacob Bodkin to Higgins who dashed under the posts.

Shelford’s problems were compounded by a yellow card for Miles Huppatz, but they still led 22-13 at the break.

As in the first half, Colchester were caught napping at the start of the second, Biard scooting in for his second try and the bonus point.

With Alex Gerard on for Rory Miller and Jerone Awesu replacing Alex Mitchell, Higgins kicked a 50-22 but the hosts failed to capitalise and Shelford soon had their fifth, Tang galloping in on the left to put the game out of reach.

Francois Rossouw, on for Haydn Sykes, crossed for Colchester’s second try and while Corey Button came close to a third in added time, Shelford held on comfortably for a win which consigned Colchester to seventh place in Regional 1 South East.

A disappointed assistant coach Chris Lewis pointed to the slow start: “After two minutes 30 seconds they were ten points up. We can’t be doing that to ourselves. At times we were our own worst enemy.”

Lewis welcomed the two-week break before the next match as an opportunity to work on fitness and other skills.

He added: “It’s about building together as a squad – right the wrongs and we’ll be all right.”

Adam Thomas was named man-of-the-match by sponsors Amnesia Flowers while front row rock Alex Mitchell received the coaches’ award.

On a day when Colchester fielded no fewer than five men’s teams, the Ravens drew 22-22 at Cottenham while there were wins for the thirds and fourths and a gutsy defeat for the fifths.

Colchester: Button, O’Reilly, Bodkin, Thomas, Skinner, Higgins, Parry; McMillan, Butler, Mitchell, Miller, Sykes, Marsden, Whiteman, H Pickett (c). Reps: Awesu, Rossouw, Gerard