TJs travelled north for this N2E R11 tie knowing that it wasn't going to be just storm Bert they needed to deal with.
TJs played with the slope in the first half and both sides had to contend with a gusty cross-wind for much of the game. The rain came later but by then the game was largely up for TJs.
BSE started brightly and as TYJs tried to work out who was on catching duty at the back the play went right and left before the extra man was found and BSE dotted down in the left corner. TJs were clearly upset by the errors and from the restart they regathered the ball and as it went left it was Harrison Sims who powered over and Sam Evans converted to make it 5-7 after 15 minutes.
Understandably the ball was in the air a fair amount for both sides as they tried to make the cross wind count in their respective favours. Sometimes it worked but it was short-lived as the game became a series of errors and penalties for both squads and neither were able to get the upper hand.
TJs though found the next score as Shadyn Osgood, like Sims unstoppable from just a few metres out, ploughed over after the half hour and Evans added the extras to make it 5-14. But once again it was short-lived as BSE scrambled upfield to secure their second try to close to 12-14 and it stayed that way to the break as they all headed into the warmth of the changing room for a rethink.
Up the slope isn't always an issue at BSE but a lack of accuracy and discipline can be but TJs started the second half with no such concerns as Sims caught a high ball to get the go forward and a slick interchange of passes saw Tommy Nicoll through a hole and he out-paced the defenders to make it to the line to score. Evans again converted to make it 12-21 and with three tries in the TJ bank we were heading in the right direction and hopefully a bonus point try and another win.
Sadly though it was not to be as from there on TJs struggled to put the phases together and their lineout was put under ever-increasing pressure from a BSE pack keen to avoid another close defeat.
As TJs gave away penalties and field position BSE were able to secure two converted tries to go in front 26-21. TJs continued to battle hard but the tide of mistakes, penalties and niggle were all going against them and BSE added a penalty to the TJ woes and a Yellow Card to boot.
Another penalty followed and whilst TJs hammered at the BSE tryline they could not get over and no bonus point try or losing bonus point could be gained.
So TJs came away with nil points but remain top of N2E and now have a Saturday off before they regroup for the visit of Henley Hawks on the 7th December at 2pm. They will be hoping for a powerful reaction