The men in black found themselves outplayed in this game by a high flying Hertford team whose win took them to the top of the league.

The Colchester Coaches switched players before the kick-off to try and find a winning formula. However, the home team were never allowed to find their rhythm by their well prepared, hard working visitors from Hertfordshire who took the game to Colchester from the start.

A fumble saw Colchester put themselves under pressure from Hertford’s kick off by knocking the ball into touch. The Hertford pack used their height and weight advantage, taking the lineout and recycling the ball through several phases until lock James Keens crashed over to open the scoring in the fourth minute. The Hertford backs next displayed their fast paced attacking and handling skills to set right wing Ben Creasey in for a try wide right.

Ten nil behind in as many minutes, Colchester rallied to mount a series of attacks, wing James Crozier threatening until held in the tackle to earn a penalty flyhalf David Higgins converted into three points from 40 metres.

Hertford reasserted themselves with No.8 Daniel Belton making hard yard carries, fullback Sean Taylor breaking at speed to release Creasey for his second try which Taylor converted.

Sweeping upfield by passing out of the tackle, Hertford grew overconfident and Colchester wing James Crozier punished with a well timed opportunistic interception and eighty metre race to score Colchester’s first try. Taylor slotted a thirty metre penalty to end the half Colchester 08: Hertford 20.

The restart again went badly for the hosts as a quickly conceded penalty was kicked upfield to touch by Hertford, followed by a lineout catch and drive try for prop Najee Mundicha. Taylor added the conversion.

Distracted as play moved around hooker Rhys Hartley when he suffered a shoulder injury and received treatment, Colchester looked unsettled as Hertford exploited their temporary numerical advantage for flyhalf Rob Mcpherson-Smith to race through a gap to score under the posts. Taylor added the conversion.

Hope revived soon after with another Colchester interception try, scrumhalf Matt Wadling stepping in to steal the ball before racing half the length of the field to score.

There was more to come from Hertford, a scrum five pick up and crash over try for the hard working No. 8 Belton and conversion by Taylor lifting the visitors’ score to 41 points.

The fitness and never say die attitude of the Colchester forwards showed as they dominated the last ten minutes. Skipper Liam Pickett led with a lineout steal, brother Ollie and Joe McMillan making hard yard carries before centre Damien Brambley broke to set up No.8 Danny Whiteman who drove over for a try for which Crozier kicked the conversion. Whiteman was unlucky not to add another try when he flew on a break from his own half until a last ditch tackle forced him into touch, ending the game with a promise of better things to come for this nearly there Colchester team.