Westcliff 13 Tobridge Juddians 48: National League 2 East match report

By Adam Hookway

Tonbridge Juddians maintained their unbeaten head-to-head record over Westcliff with a 48-13 away win in National League 2 East.

TJs started the 11th meeting between the sides in a hurry, with three tries in the first 16 minutes.

Cam Hancock, Howard Packman and Hugo Watson all crossed the whitewash, although Tom White could only convert one of them.

Westcliff, bottom of the standings, rallied to score a try of their own and a conversion and a penalty reduced the arrears to seven. But TJs were in no mood to let things get too close and the forwards and backs combined to send Hancock over for his second - and the bonus-point - score with just half an hour gone.

The second half started with Westcliff first on the scoreboard with another penalty, but from there on they rarely threatened while Judds were finding more room in their opponents' half.

Bobby Bratton, back with a winner’s medal from the Scottish Super Sixes, was driven over for TJ’s fifth try and Packman added his second shortly afterwards.

A Tonbridge penalty then went to the corner and Toby Freeman climbed high to allow the pack to drive Jake Hardcastle over for his inaugural try for the 1st XV. Bryan Hotston capped off the TJ back-line dominance with an eighth and final score.

The win takes TJs up to third in the table behind Dorking and leaders Blackheath, who visit The Slade on Saturday.