HARWICH and Dovercourt Rugby Club produced their best performance of the season to win at high-flying Sudbury on Saturday.

The Suffolk side are third in Eastern Counties League division two south but Harwich prevailed 31-7.

“It was our best performance of the season,” said coach Shane Manning.

“Every player did their job. Our forwards completely outplayed Sudbury’s pack.

“The backs then complimented the forwards by containing Sudbury’s backs.”

Sudbury conceded frequent early penalties, which enabled Harwich fly-half Sam Male to kick his team downfield.

Harwich were choosing to keep the ball tight and maul at every opportunity.

From ten metres out, they won a line-out and set up a driving maul, with Sudbury’s forwards in retreat.

Player/coach Shane Manning drove over the line for the first try, with Male adding the extras.

From the restart, Harwich were on the march again.

With more penalties conceded, Harwich found themselves camped on the Sudbury try-line.

Captain Josh Leeks chose to keep the pressure on and turned down a certain three points instead opting for a five-metre scrum.

It proved an excellent decision from the young captain, with the Sudbury scrum back-peddling.

Powerhouse Simon Palmer picked up from the base of the scrum to drag three defenders over to score a converted try, for 14-0.

Sudbury were attacking at every opportunity, from everywhere on the pitch.

However, some excellent defence from Kyle Hutchins, Elliot Hawkins, Josh Newlyn and Jack Cairns kept them scoreless.

With half-time approaching, the Harwich forwards were hammering the Sudbury line.

And with so many players needed to keep the visiting pack at bay, gaps appeared out wide.

Scrum-half Kier Blacker released the ball and, after some fast handling, winger Newlyn went over to score, making the half-time score 19-0.

Harwich restarted the game by forcing a Sudbury knock-on.

This gave them early field position and they went on the attack again.

Sudbury’s players were defending very well but again the pressure on their line opened up space elsewhere.

With the ball going wide, flanker Robert Edgar stepped through two defenders to score and Harwich had a four-try bonus point.

Sudbury continued to attack, running the ball from everywhere.

This, however, led to them making mistakes and they were unable to change their game-plan.

Harwich were not done, though.

The backs, using a simple move, got the ball wide to Adam Palmer.

Showing great pace, he ran around the defence to score an excellent team try.

Sudbury, to their credit, played until the end and managed a try of their own after swooping on a wayward pass.

It was the last act of the game as Harwich enjoyed an empathic 31-7 victory.