Jersey claimed their first league win of the season as they overcame visitors Colchester in an exciting 13-try encounter.
The teams split six tries between them in the opening 40 minutes, with Harry Cochrane’s opportunist score giving the home side the lead early on before wingers Ethan Cole (2) and Jonah Varela put Colchester well ahead. Back row man Kade Bird got one back for Jersey and then Guy Thompson’s mauled try made it 19-each at the break.
Player coach Thompson, playing his first match of the season, dived over to put Jersey ahead soon after the restart after lineout ball was worked quickly infield, only for Varela to register his second try.
When Lance Armstrong finished a flowing move in the corner and Thompson piled into another maul and completed his hat-trick there was a 12-point cushion for the home side, but Fin McCartney crossed from a maul to keep Colchester in touch (38-31).
In spite of losing hooker Macfarlane to a yellow card with 10 minutes to play, Jersey steeled themselves for another wave of attack which culminated with George Willmott going over for his side’s seventh and final try, which was enough to secure victory in spite of a final late try for Colchester, with Varela completing his hat-trick. After a few anxious moments for a crowd of around 800, including a key turnover as the visitors threatened to tie things up, JRFC took the win as the final whistle sounded.
After gaining three points on their travels away at Henley the previous weekend, five more points for the win helped JRFC up to 11th in the N2E table ahead of a trip to Old Albanians next Saturday.
Prior to the main game, there was an entertaining morning of vets’ rugby – Jersey Wanderers played host to fellow veterans, a combined XV of French players from Les Senateurs and Brakass, who hail from Chartres and Nantes respectively.
Scorers:
Jersey RFC
Tries: Cochrane 10, Bird 36, Thompson 40, 48, 67, Armstrong 64, Willmott 74
Cons: Boarer 10, 36, 48, 68
Colchester
Tries: Cole 13, 21, Varela 31, 55, 77, McCartney 71
Cons: Mills 13, 21, 55
Yellow Cards
Macfarlane (Jsy) 70
Attendance: 800
Referee: Josh Bamber
