Thurrock 37 Letchworth 17 Letchworth visited already relegated Thurrock hoping for a try fest - and they certainly got it although not in the manner expected. A superb performance against high-flying Chingford the previous week gave way to an inept perfor

Thurrock 37 Letchworth 17

Letchworth visited already relegated Thurrock hoping for a try fest - and they certainly got it although not in the manner expected.

A superb performance against high-flying Chingford the previous week gave way to an inept performance against beatable opposition.

Letchworth, already assured of fifth in London Two North, can still be proud of their overall performances since Christmas though.

Despite a great opening start where they pressed the Thurrock line, it was clear that lipstick and tutus for the ladies' night were more in the minds of the players than the game in hand.

Thurrock had a point to prove after eight consecutive defeats and they certainly did so.

The game veered from end to end and it was Thurrock who drew first blood. Winger Stubbs had been twice denied, but from a blindside scrum number five Bowden went over for an unconverted try.

Letchworth soon struck back when veteran prop Darren Spillane stole the ball and broke away. Winger Dave Rae was on hand to take Spillane's offload and sprint 60 yards to score a try converted by Gavin Donald.

The visitors moved in front when Robin French turned over ball close to the Letchwoth line and fed Ryan de la Harpe, who offloaded to Henry Robinson. The full-back was brought down but the ball came out to Rae who fed Spillane who crashed over in the corner.

A somewhat freakish score brought Thurrock a try when a ricochet kick was picked up by number eight Retigan, their man of the match, who gathered to score.

Thurrock then took the lead with a fine winger's try converted by Retigan to give them a 17-12 lead at half time.

In the meantime, Letchworth lost James Nye to a knee injury.

Letchworth came back into the game at the start of the second half when from a five-yard scrum, Jaggi Johal broke and with Rae on hand (now at flanker), the South African touched down, the kick being narrowly missed.

With the scores now level, the game could have gone either way but Letchworth imploded.

Slick hands from a penalty saw Thurrock take the lead and then went further ahead from a Retigan penalty. A well moved free kick saw Thurrock to another score under the posts.

Pieter Sterienburg then received a second yellow card and there was no way back for the visitors.

Loose forward play and slack passing in the backs were the hallmark of this second half. In the last minute, Stubbs kicked ahead and scored a fine try to seal the result.