HARWICH AND DOVERCOURT 57

BURNHAM-ON-CROUCH 7

Essex League 1B

HARWICH were forced to make changes but started at a hot pace, scoring two early tries.

John Skargon forced his way over the line - his maiden try for the first team.

Adrian Dalby then finished off a good line break from stand-off Kyle Hutchins.

Full-back Adam Eldridge was only able to convert the Dalby try.

Harwich then assumed the opposition would roll over.

However, Burnham had different ideas, taking the game to their hosts and forcing them onto the back foot.

This extended period of pressure brought results for the visitors as they scored a well-deserved try which was converted.

As half-time approached, Simon Woodley emulated Dalby, getting over the line to increase the lead and Adam Eldridge duly converted to give the hosts a 19-7 lead.

Early in the second half, Kyran Green was introduced for Robert Wood, following an injury, which meant a re-shuffle in the forwards. Captain Josh Leeks moved into the front row.

Green quickly made his mark, quickly taking a slight over throw in the lineout before surging through a gap in the defence to score.

Like last week, Harwich saved their best rugby for the second half, running the visitors' defence ragged.

Captain Leeks got on the scoresheet by forcing his way over the line and Eldridge improved the try.

Harwich suffered a few injuries, losing stand-off Hutchins, outside backs Dalby and Chuck Heeney.

This brought first-team debutant Lewis Williams into fly-half from the wing, with reserves Elliott Hawken and Ian Flook joining the game.

Harwich did not let this distract them, improving the score with a typically forceful run by number eight Simon Palmer, resulting in a spin out of the tackle and a dive over the line. Eldridge converted.

A nasty clash of heads between Williams and Hawken saw the latter leave the field with a bad cut under his right eye. Dalby was re-introduced, making a quick impact by finishing off some good running and passing by the backs, scoring in the corner.

Leeks then bagged a brace by running a great support line from a good backs break.

Eldridge took the easy conversion.

This set up the best try of the game from the restart.

From the kick-off, the ball was moved out to the backs and along the line, before stand-in fly-half Williams beat two defenders to run in under the posts, completing an excellent debut.

Eldridge finished the game with the conversion.

Next week, Harwich, now in third place, go to fourth-placed Clacton.