Halstead Templars II clock up first ever win with 29-26 success against Mavericks II

With the Eastern Counties League taking a break, attention switched to Halstead Templars’ newly-formed second XV who clocked up their first ever win, 29-26 at Brentwood-based Mavericks II.

The day got off to a great start as Halstead scored twice in the first 15 minutes go take an early 14-0 lead.

First, Ed Merry intercepted a pass within the home side’s 22 to race away under the posts before Joe Harrison set Harry Sanders up for his first ever Templar try; popping off the floor when he had been brought down just short of the tryline.

Mavericks came back scoring twice in the final 20 minutes of the half to go in 14-14.

The hosts took the lead with two quick tries immediately after the break but Halstead were full of running and within 10 minutes Harrison and Sanders linked together once more, this time from inside their own half, for Sanders to score an exceptional individual try.

The next was a team affair with the forwards pounding the Mavericks’ try line for a full 10 minutes before Aeron Stubbs, playing scrum-half, crossed out wide to level things up at 26-26.

Next time Halstead got inside Mavericks’ 22, thanks to the dominance of their scrum, captain Phil Foster opted for a kick at goal and Sanders’ unerring accuracy gave the Templars a slender 29-26 lead that they never relinquished.

l Halstead Templars first team return to Eastern Counties League Greene King 1 South action with a home derby against Sudbury II .

The sides are only separated by one place in the table but third-from-bottom Halstead go into the match 15 points behind their near-neighbours.

The pick of the division’s action this weekend is undoubtedly leaders
Hadleigh’s top-of-the-table home clash with Colchester III (2.30pm), with six points separating the sides.