Double yellows are key as Havant hit back late on

By ED MARRIAGE

Colchester………….. 31

Havant…………………. 31

HAVANT battled back from 12 points down in the final quarter to level the scores at the end of a frenetic but hard-fought match, poor discipline costing bottom club Colchester a second win of the season.

In a finely balanced first half, Tom Gwyther opened the scoring for the visitors before Callum Jeffery’s try, converted by Gabe Jones, put Colchester ahead.

Joel Knight converted his own try to re- establish Havant’s lead before Tom Hoppe’s converted try put Colchester 14-12 ahead at the break.

Colchester seemed to have established control early in the second half through Jones’s penalty and a converted try by Cam

Kerr but Havant pulled it back to 24-19 as Ben Holt crossed, the conversion making it 2419.

Again, Colchester extended their lead through Jonah Varela’s converted bonus-point try but the hosts shot themselves in the foot with yellow cards shown to props Leroy O’Neil and later Alex Mitchell.

When play resumed after a long break, Colchester’s Alex Grey receiving treatment for a serious ankle injury, the referee called uncontested scrums.

With Colchester down to 13 players, Jerome Rudder’s bonus point try for Havant made it 31-24, then Knight converted Sean Shepherd’s last-

REFEREE: Alex Powdrell

ATTENDANCE: 386

Star player Joe Brock – Colchester