Ipswich 22 Brentwood 24

A dubious last-minute penalty gave Brentwood a hair’s-breadth home victory as Ipswich rued lost chances on Saturday.

Showing more class than their London hosts meant nothing as Brentwood’s flyhalf slotted valuable penalties and drop-goals at every opportunity, kicking two more points than Ipswich in the two-tries apiece result.

Ipswich substitute Mark Broughton took the visitors in front for the first time after ten minutes of the second half but a penalty in injury time left Ipswich further behind second-placed Diss in London League Three North East, in a weekend where league leaders Eton Manor lost to Westcliff in another close match.

The hosts showed their mettle in the first five minutes as their strong pack mauled over in the right-hand corner to score the first try of the match after five minutes.

Making up for his missed conversion attempt, the Brentwood flyhalf pushed over a drop-goal from outside the 22 to take the Londoners 8-0 ahead five minutes later.

Prop Adam Schindler stole possession from the opposite pack to supply quick ball through the backs leaving Ipswich flyhalf Jan Van Tonder to loop round and complete a blistering attack and score under the posts. Fraser Pratt converted to leave Ipswich trailing by one.

The home pack’s strength was on display again as Brentwood crashed the ball up short until the amber-and-black defence was battered aside for a converted try to take Brentwood 15-7 ahead with five minutes of the first half to go.

The speed and flair of the visitors forced a desperate penalty as Brentwood struggled to keep a lid on the onslaught and Pratt slotted the attempt to close to 15-10. Brentwood took three points in reply soon after however, as Ipswich were penalised on the far left of the pitch.

The restart saw the Ipswich forwards regain some pride as they mauled Brentwood all the way over the line for captain Alex Briggenshaw to score, although Pratt missed the conversion attempt.

The visitors finally took a deserved lead when Broughton’s try and Pratt’s conversion made the gap four points but with a quarter of an hour to go a Brentwood penalty cut that to a solitary point.

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