Brentwood 12 Saffron Walden 42 Saffron Walden Rugby Club put in one of their best performances of the season at Brentwood on Saturday. Captain Paul Marshall scored a hat-trick as the visitors accelerated away from the home side in the second period to sec

Brentwood 12 Saffron Walden 42

Saffron Walden Rugby Club put in one of their best performances of the season at Brentwood on Saturday.

Captain Paul Marshall scored a hat-trick as the visitors accelerated away from the home side in the second period to secure a convincing victory.

"We dominated them in every facet of the game and everyone stood up to the mark," said Marshall.

"Colchester was a good performance, but they are bottom of the league so I think Saturday was probably the best we have played this season. It was a big win away from home against a team that were close to us in the table.

"We aimed to get two wins from four games before Christmas and we have got that already which is pleasing."

Brentwood had the wind and the slope in their favour in the first half, but it was Walden who broke the deadlock after five minutes when Andrew Lancaster won a loose ball on the half way line and some slick passing by the midfield saw Marshall out sprint the winger to go over in the corner.

Brentwood were using the conditions to their advantage and they drew level following slack defending when the home side's centre evaded two tackles and crossed the line for an unconverted try.

However, Walden regained the lead three minutes later when some neat interplay 30 metres out by full-back Dave Philip and winger David Patch saw Philip score out wide.

The visitors then stretched their lead with Tom Hughes kicking a penalty after Brentwood were adjudged offside.

The hosts put Walden under pressure at the end of the first half, but the visitors held firm and went in with a 13-5 lead.

The visitors came flying out of the traps in the second half, and with the slope and wind behind them, Hughes kicked two drop goals to extend their lead.

Brentwood came back strongly and gained a penalty which they kicked into the corner. From the resulting attacking play and repeated penalties, Walden eventually conceded a penalty try after 57 minutes.

Undeterred, the visitors played the best rugby of their season in the last quarter of the match.

Marshall scored his second try when he again broke through the defence, and their tally was stretched five minutes later by a further three points when Hughes scored his third drop goal.

Walden were dominating and some good interplay between backs and forwards saw winger Graham Mummery dummy to a two man overlap and run through the gap to score under the posts.

They didn't let up and took a further three points from a penalty when Brentwood were penalised for killing the ball in a ruck.

The final score came in the last seconds of the game when Marshall dived for the line to complete his hat-trick.

On Saturday Saffron Walden host Braintree in the London Three NE, 2.15pm kick-off.

"A win would put us clear of them and we are looking to take maximum points and will be disappointed if we don't.