LONDON 2 North East leaders Chelmsford won their re-arranged fixture at Saffron Walden 44-34 in a thrilling encounter.

The original fixture last month was postponed due to a frozen pitch but Chelmsford warmed to their task and led by 25-12 at the interval.

But the home side raised their game in the second half and with the score at 34-39, Chelmsford found themselves hanging on.

Saffron Walden were pressing hard in the last passage of play to bring the scores level, when fly half Simon Hoult intercepted a pass near his own line and sprinted the length of the field to score an excellent try to ensure that Chelmsford came away with a morale-boosting 44-34 win that could prove vital in their efforts to secure the one automatic promotion spot.

Chelmsford now lead nearest rivals Diss by five points and third-placed Campion by 14, with all three teams having three games left to play.

Coach Eddy Gooby said: “This was a job well done and hard fought. It was always going to be a fast and skilful game with both teams playing attacking rugby.

“Credit to the boys today, the pressure was on them and they responded well and stayed true to our game plan which allowed us to score six great tries.

“We will need to tighten up our defensive patterns this coming week against Diss and with Josh Cavey, Jamie Ash, Chris Hoult and Matt Lincoln coming back to the squad, we will be at full strength and training is going to be very focused and relaxed.

“This win puts us in a good position, but with lots of work still to do.

“Our destiny is in our hands and Diss will have to come to us, knowing that the pressure is on them to win.

“We have nothing to lose but everything to gain and I know that after the away trip to Diss earlier this year, the boys will be well and truly up for this game.”

Chelmsford were missing influential players, Josh Cavey and Jamie Ash, who were both out injured, plus Jack Venn and Chris Hoult from the previous week’s team.

Chelmsford had the strong cross wind in their favour in the first half and both teams started brightly. Chelmsford opened their account after only two minutes, when from a catch and drive at a line out, second row, Nick Sany went over for an unconverted try.

Minutes later Simon Hoult increased the lead to eight points when Saffron Walden were caught offside.

Chelmsford went further ahead through right wing, Will Ferrier, when from a scrum the ball was fed down the back line and he sped over in the right hand corner for a well-taken try to increase Chelmsford’s lead to 15-0.

At this stage the forwards were on top and the backs were running well with the ball in hand. Chelmsford were then awarded a penalty near the home side’s line for a scrum offence and Simon Hoult made no mistake to take them into an 18-0 lead.

Saffron Walden then had their best spell of the half in the last 15 minutes and after Chelmsford were penalised, the referee played advantage, and they rounded off a good movement by scoring a well-taken try in the left hand corner to reduce the deficit to 18-5.

Ten minutes before half time, Seth Robinson, who was playing at flanker made a great break down the right hand side and put in a grubber kick, before wing Will Ferrier gathered up the ball and dived over in the corner to score his second try of the game.

With Simon Hoult converting, Chelmsford were now comfortable leaders by 25-5.

Unfortunately for the visitors, a poor clearance kick did not find touch and with the home side being known for their excellent counter-attacking rugby, they ran the ball back at Chelmsford and as a result they scored an excellent try in the left-hand corner and with the successful conversion, Chelmsford led by 25-12 at half time.

From the kick-off and with the elements in their favour, the home side’s fly half put in some telling touch kicks to put them on the front foot.

And with the home side’s forwards upping the pressure on the Chelmsford eight, and moving the ball out wide at every opportunity, they suddenly looked threatening.

With Chelmsford dropping off the tackles, it was no surprise that Saffron Walden scored an unconverted try in the first few minutes following a catch and drive.

Chelmsford then found themselves on the wrong end of the penalty count and after 15 minutes they were caught offside just outside of their 22 metre line and with the successful kick the home side were now just five points in arrears at 25-20.

Luckily for Chelmsford they manage to secure a catch and drive near to the home side’s line and with the ball going through the phases, fly half Simon Hoult managed to give a defence-splitting pass to substitute centre, Adam Cunnah, and he went over for a converted try to extend Chelmsford’s lead to 32-20 and secure the visitors a vital bonus point.

Two minutes later Chelmsford were awarded a scrum and Jack Acorn came in off his wing to burst through the home side’s central cover defence to score a fine converted try which should have put the game beyond doubt at 39-20.

To their credit the home side came fighting back to take the game to Chelmsford again. They scored their fourth try in the left-hand corner, which was duly converted to bring the score to 39-2.

Then after 39 minutes they secured the ball from a scrum and went down the blind side to score another converted try to bring the arrears down to 39-34.

With the home side now on the attack, Simon Hoult then scored his crucial intercept try to seal the win for Chelmsford in a game that was a great advert for open rugby.

Simon Hoult finished the game with a personal tally of 19 points.