by Russell Thame

BANCROFT travelled to face their bogey team after failing to beat Brentwood in three games, despite always finishing higher in the league.

The spring weather suited both sides and it was two attractive teams that faced each other as the whistle went.

The B's looked good in the first five minutes and they managed to force the Brentwood fly half into kicking to find any room.

The B's looked dangerous each time the ball got to the three quarters and it was Pete Robinson who opened the scoring with a searing finish for the try on ten minutes (converted, Farrow).

Both teams continued to try and keep the ball alive and the game was open and exciting, if not lacking a bit of shape and structure.

The home team's lineout looked lively and inventive but the B's pack looked dominant in the scrum and early phases.

On twenty minutes Brentwood found themselves in possession, as the ball was spread wide their dangerous outside centre faced a B's prop and he made the most of it as he powered round and then released the winger to score the homes teams opening try (unconverted).

The B's managed to extend their lead three minutes after the restart as Alex Silk drove form the base of a ruck to sprint in from 30 yards for the try (converted, Farrow). Brentwood worked their way into the B's half and managed to force a scrum on the ten metre line.

The B's won their ball easily but a moment of confusion at the back meant a mis-fielded pass was touched down by a Brentwood hand for a gift of the try (converted). With five minutes of the half to play the B's made some more elementary errors to let Brentwood in for their third try (converted).

The B's knew they had let themselves down by going into half time behind and they looked a lot more composed as they worked Joe Warwick over for the first try of the second half on 48minutes (unconverted).

Ten minutes later some slick midfield handling saw Warwick cross again (unconverted).

Old Brentwoods are a well drilled outfit and they were more than capable of asking questions of the B's defence. With the B's putting in plenty of physical effort but lacking in speed of thought it was the home team that crossed for the try (unconverted) with ten minutes to play.

The B's managed one more final push and it was Tom Farrow who crossed for the final try (converted, Burrowes) to make sure the B's finally beat Old Brentwood for the first time in a few years.