Letchworth win 45-20 at Thurrock: Legends win action packed match

By Layth Yousif

10th Oct 2022 | Local Sport

Thurrock 20-45 Letchworth. CREDIT: Letchworth Rugby
Thurrock 20-45 Letchworth. CREDIT: Letchworth Rugby
Thurrock 20 Letchworth GC. 45 
There was no shortage of drama and incident at Oak Lane on Saturday as Letchworth travelled to lowly Thurrock.
Not least before the game burly second rower Dan Peasnall was stranded somewhere on the M25 and Director of rugby Baz Basra added his bulk to the Legends bench little thinking he would be called upon.
However the travelling faithful were to be treated to the Buddaesque figure of their leader taking the field for the final ten minutes to shore up the scrum and indulge in several bullocking runs the sweat glistening off his balding pate by the end of the match. True commitment to the cause.
In the interim a full blown game of rugby was going on which showed Letchworth at their best and least over the previous 70 minutes.
Fortunately the worst was saved for the first 20 as Thurrock came out more fired up and determined and the visitors took a while to adjust to the burly home side before them.
An early penalty put Thurrock ahead and then a penalty lineout saw their scrum half Ed Stevens seize an opportunist try which really put the home sides supporters tails up even though he appeared not to ground it cleanly.
However the ref's decision is always final - see yellow card and Legends final try.
From a frenetic start and trying to score from the first phase Letchworth now started to get into their rhythm. A kick by Josh Sharp into the red zone of Thurrocks 22 saw a great take by skipper Liam Fitts who had an inspired match. Blindside forward Luke Mongston dived over and Sharp added the points to make it 10/7 and the visitors were back in it . 
Thurrock stretched their lead as a penalty just in Letchworths half way line was moved 10 metres for dissent and was now converted to make it 13/7 
Letchworth were not firing on all cylinders but vice captain Josh Sharp calmed the nerves with several impressive 50/22 kicks and then after the forwards had driven deep into the Thurrock 22 the flyhalf showed Immaculate dancing feet and dummying as he ghosted through four despairing defenders to score under the posts and then added the two points to make it 14/13 to Letchworth. Even the home crowd applauded that one.
The only other incident before halftime was when winger T Gurure was harshly adjudged to have deliberately knocked on to foil a home side move and received a yellow 
Despite their one man advantage Thurrock did not trouble the score board again that half. 
Whatever was said at half-time certainly had an effect on the visitors as the first 10 minutes of the second half were a real purple patch and Thurrock were totally blown away and the match was more or less won with three fantastic scores.
Almost from the restart Mongston fed Jack Askham who made great yardage. The dancing Sharp then fed Titherington who again had a mighty match and went in under the posts . Minutes later a great 50/22 kick saw Letchworths take the lineout and Mongston was over for his second and Letch bonus point try 
 From the restart came maybe the best try of the afternoon. 
No 8 Tom Lewis who had a massive game in defence all afternoon broke several tackles before feeding Askham .He in turn sent scrum half Harvey Howman off on a great line and newly restored winger Tattenda Gurure was on hand to take the final pass and storm through the defence to score . 
In a near blink it was 13/33 and game more or less over as many of the home support now made for the Bar and Bath v Gloucester on TV 
This was a pity as the home side never gave up and were rewarded with a near length of the field move leading to a try under the visitors sticks . 
At 20/33 there was a glimmer for the home side but this was snuffed out minutes later as Sharp and Titherington combined to put veteran centre Kieran Davies through for the biggest cheer from the travelling faithful . 
It was at this point that director of rugby Baz entered the fray and as he peered up from one breakdown it was to see Liam Fitts break out and feed Jack Askham who made thirty metres before throwing a somewhat dubious pass to Gurure who galloped in to put the icing on the Letchworth cake and make the final score 20/45.
In the end a fine performance after a shakey start but with tougher challenges to come in the shape of Southend away and Norwich at home over the next few weeks . 
 There will be a coach leaving legends lane at 1115am next week for anyone wishing to travel
There will be a league lunch before the Norwich match on Saturday, October 22. 
All diners book in with Brian Burke on 07768274037
Team from 1 
Robinson 
Askham
Hughes
Wilcock 
Amos 
Mongston 
Fitts. C 
Lewis 
Howman
Sharp vc 
Gurure
Davies
Titherington
Staddon
Palmer 
Stokes
Gibbs 
Bazra 
BB

     

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