Maldon salted out in the 2nd half

CLAPTON DISCOVER THE ELEMENTS OF SUCCESS
MALDON RFC 7 V 33 EPPING UPPER CLAPTON RFC
This was a game of 2 halves when really it should not have been, Yes there was a strong wind and rain to face in the first 40 minutes of this game for the Thornwood based club and it definitely had an impact on play, but Clapton had enough in their armoury to combat this and should have been able to reach the half time break ahead. Instead they had a lacklustre start to the game, exercised a few poor choices and missed chances which meant they reached the break 7 points in arrears. Maldon had managed the lone score, crossing with slick passing after a scrum.
Half time came and a chance to reorganize meant that Ollie Forrest settled in to scrum half and with it a game controlling man of the match performance. This allowed him to orchestrate play in such a way that EUCRFC managed 5 second tries and subsequently a bonus point victory.
The Clapton forwards had earlier shown signs of dominating their opposition, but now helped by a Maldon sin-binning and better field positions were very much in the ascendancy. Captain Cam Furlong was first to cross from a line-out catch and drive, then Dave Allen finished off a series of forward incursions to edge EUCRFC ahead 12-7.
Pressure was forcing Maldon to concede penalties and these were being converted into better field positions. Midway through the half, Joe Mbu bounced off his opposite number in the centre to stroll over under the posts for the next score which was duly converted. It was back to the forwards for the fourth try, Lucas Morretta this time touching down after a period of prolonged pressure.
The bonus point assured, the game meandered along for a while until with the last action of the game; Dale Gardner kicked and chased a ball along his touchline and when unable to touchdown himself, Dan Jones followed up to get the score wide out. He converted to make it 4 successful conversions out of 5 and with it heralded the final whistle.
The second half demonstrated the power that this Clapton side can deliver, similar application to begin with would have had this game wrapped up long before the break. There is now a week with no games, which allows the walking wounded to recover and work to begin on the next phase of the season where some of the opposition are likely to put up greater resistance and represent bigger challenges.

EUCRFC: O. Forrest, G. Douglas, J. Mbu, G. Cook, D. Knight, D. Jones, A. Prince, C. Furlong, L. Reed, N. Trevellion, J. Robinson, W. Parrish, L. Morretta, D. Griggs, D. Allen, D. Gardner, T.C. Brabant-Rudd, M. Sinfield.