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Harlow 1st XV 24 Brentwood 17 London League Division 3 Harlow showed their fighting spirit to come from behind and win their second league match maintaining their forward momentum and extending their sequence of wins to four in a row. Despite missing six first team players who were attending two weddings Harlow were able to put out a strong set of three quarters, Rhys Loveday, who has returned to Harlow from Bishops Stortford celebrated his return with a well taken try. It was Brentwood however, using their powerful forwards to good effect, who took the lead when their number eight picked up at the base of a five metre scrum and crashed over, the conversion leaving Harlow 7 points in arrears. With the slope in their favour the Brentwood pack mounted a sustained attack on the Harlow line but good defensive work kept them out. Prop Don Smale was replaced by Will Bayford after 25 minutes and Harlow eventually cleared their lines. The Rams then began their own assault in the Brentwood twenty two and their hard work was rewarded when from a scrum five skipper Paul Eynon passed to Lee Harron. His pass found Loveday crashing through in mid-field to score Harlow’s first try. Almost directly from the kick off Brentwood scored their second. A loose pass put Wayne Morgan under pressure and Brentwood’s open side flanker kicked the ball on and after a second kick he picked up to score under the posts on the stroke of half time. In the second half, with the score at 5-14, Harlow forced their way into Brentwood’s twenty two. From a scrum they passed the ball out to winger Matt Howard whose strength took him clear to score leaving them trailing by only four points. Scott Thorne at blindside flanker was replaced by Jamie Pope who immediately began to disrupt the flow of ball from the Brentwood back row. However Brentwood rallied and again exerted pressure on the Harlow line but the defence held strong, the Rams worked their way up into Brentwood’s twenty two and Howard took an excellent line through the middle cutting past the Brentwood defence to score his second try. James McFerran made no mistake with the conversion and Harlow lead by 17-14. Another Brentwood attack saw them successfully convert a penalty to level the scores at 17 all. The last ten minutes saw Harlow mount a series of attacks on the Brentwood goal line. With two minutes to go winger SimonVanbeck sidestepped his way to within ten metres of the line. Harlow recycled the ball quickly and Loveday broke away to pass to Vanbeck who finished the move he had started with a well deserved try. McFerran’s conversion from the left wing was accurate and Harlow left the field delighted with their second league win. They will be tested next week when they face old rivals Bishops Stortford at Ram Gorse in the National Cup, Stortford now two divisions above them but with a full squad to choose from and their return to winning ways Harlow will be hard to beat.
Tries: Rhys Loveday, Matt Howard (2), Simon Vanbeck Conversions: James McFerran (2)
(Follow links to player profiles) 3. Don Smale (Sub Will Bayford) 5. James Grover 12. Rhys Loveday 15. James McFerran
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