Holts first home game of 2025 hung in the balance for a while on Friday evening but the weather Gods smiled on Bridge Road on Saturday morning and the fixture became one of only two games played in the league due to pitches being frozen, the other being Brentwood V Wanstead, who borrowed Eton Manors artificial pitch in order to play their fixture. This brings into focus, a little more, one of Holts problems this season. Brentwood, Wanstead, and Eton Manor, 3 teams in the same league all close enough to share facilities. Holt, miles out on our own! Constantly this season opposition clubs have asked how do manage to travel three or more hours every other week to play? However, we do, and this week the boot so to speak was on the other foot. Chelmsford made the long journey from Essex to Bridge Road. A pitch inspection at 08:30 took a bit of a gamble. The 1st team pitch was 50/50, Would it thaw out in time? However, the 2nd team pitch, because of its slightly less use had a thicker covering of grass and was, we felt, just about playable. With temps forecast to be 4 degrees by kick off time, again, we felt, the gamble would be justified. As it happened the 1st team pitch didn’t thaw so the game was played on the 2nd team pitch.

Holt kicked off gaining possession from the chase, Holt surged forward but knocked on. Chelmsford infringed at the scrum giving Holt a penalty 30m out. Medler, whose line kicking was superb all day, drove Holt to within 15m of the Chelmsford line. Chelmsford however, cleared their lines only to infringe again around 30m out. Another Holt penalty pushed them to within 10m, a good catch and drive bought about a try, through Taylor Gowing. Arthur Loose missed the conversion from out wide.

10 minutes: Holt 5 Chelmsford 0

Jackson returned the kick off back to half way. Chelmsford won the ball and put it through the hands. A penalty was kicked into the Holt 22. Another penalty bought them up to the 5m line. Chelmsford crashed over for their 1st score. The conversion was successful.

16 minutes: Holt 5 Chelmsford 7

A close fought 10 minutes in mid field ended with Chelmsford being awarded a penalty 35m out. They kicked into the corner, a well-executed catch and drive bought about their 2nd try. The conversion missed.

27 minutes: Holt 5 Chelmsford 12

From a Holt scrum 30m off their own line Holt broke out, Will Allen offloading to Jackson who was bought down illegally 30m from the Chelmsford line, Medler kicked into the corner. A good move from the catch and drive saw Medler go over for Holts 2nd try. The conversion missed

36 minutes: Holt 10 Chelmsford 12

A scrum on Holts 10m line became a penalty, Medler kicked up to the Chelmsford 10m line, Holt surged forward into the Chelmsford 22 another penalty enabled Medler to pin Chelmsford back onto their 5m line spreading the ball wide Holt found Jackson who needed no invitation to charge over for Holts 3rd try. Jackson converted.

45 minutes: Holt 17 Chelmsford 12

Chelmsford kept the ball in hand and charged forward, a chip over was fielded by Jackson who cleared the lines, again Chelmsford charged forward, this time crossing the line but the referee judged the ball to have been held up. Medler tried for touch from the goal line drop out but Chelmsford kept the ball in play, this time Holt were unable to stop them grounding the ball for their 3rd try. The conversion was good.

50 minutes: Holt 17 Chelmsford 19

The referee said there was time to restart. The kick went very deep into the Chelmsford 22 who cleared their lines. Jackson caught the ball on the Chelmsford 10m line. Seeing nothing was on and knowing half time was about be called, he went for a drop goal. To everyone's astonishment he struck it perfectly and the ball sailed between the posts from about 35 m.

Half Time - Holt 20 Chelmsford 19

Chelmsford took to the 2nd half at 100mph. They smashed Holt back into their own 22 using a combination of forwards phases and some superb straight powerful running from the backs. Valient defence from Holt kept them at bay but the pressure became too much. They crossed the try line but once again the referee decided the ball wasn't grounded, but from the goal line drop out Chelmsford once more charged forward and this time made no mistake to score their 4th try. The conversion missed.

10 minutes: Holt 20 Chelmsford 24

The kick off failed to go 10m . From the scrum Chelmsford attacked once more only to give away a penalty on the Holt 10m line. Holt tried to run the penalty but knocked on gifting Chelmsford a scrum. Chelmsford spread the ball wide and once more crossed Holt’s line but failed to touch down. From the goal line drop out Holt chased well but infringed some 20m out. Chelmsford decided to kick for goal but hit the posts. Jackson gathered and broke out only to be stopped on the Chelmsford 10m line. A Chelmsford penalty on halfway drove them back into the Holt 22. The throw wasn’t straight. Holt gained a free kick from the scrum but failed to capitalise, a Chelmsford penalty 30m out was pumped back into the Holt 22. A catch and drive was stopped illegally by Holt. From the 5m penalty the big Chelmsford pack powered over for their 5th try. The conversion was good.

20 minutes: Holt 20 Chelmsford 31

Holt chased the KO but gave away a penalty on the Chelmsford 22. They kicked back to the Holt 10m. A well-executed backs move saw them tear through the Holt defence to score once more. The conversion missed

22 minutes: Holt 20 Chelmsford 36

From a scrum 15m out from the Holt line Jackson cleared up to halfway. Winning a penalty, Medler booted Holt into the Chelmsford 22. Another penalty some 10m out was taken quickly but Holt infringed. Chelmsford hoofed the ball back to halfway, but infringed themselves on their own 10m line. Medler once more drove them back into the corner. A nicely worked line out saw Yarbo crash over for Holts 4th, and bonus point, try. Jackson nailed the conversion.

37 minutes: Holt 27 Chelmsford 36

Jackson broke free from the kick off but was stopped illegally on half way, some chat from Chelmsford moved the penalty another 10m, Medler pegged Chelmsford back to 5m. A catch and drive saw Holt cross the line but fail to ground the ball, Chelmsford dropped out from the goal line. Chelmsford gained a line out some 30m out, a loose ball was hacked down the pitch, the chase was won by Chelmsford who gathered and fell over the line to score. The conversion was good.

42 minutes: Holt 27 Chelmsford 43

What a match! Great entertainment from beginning to end. Chelmsford’s sheer power in the first 25 mins of the second half overwhelmed Holt , but the last 2 tries , both fairly soft won the game. Holt could and should feel very proud of the way they played. They've not had an easy season. However, they showed great spirit and commitment throughout. A very valuable four try bonus point moves them 6 points clear of Stowmarket at the foot of the table. Stowmarket visit Bridge Road on Feb 1st! That is an appetising date for all our diaries! Next week Holt are once off on their travels, off to league leaders Westcliff. If the passion, commitment and motivation apparent against Chelmsford can be reproduced against Westcliff, it’s not too fanciful to think that they might come home with a point or 2!

Both the 2nd and 3rd team games were postponed because of frozen pitches. Next week both are at home, the 2nds versus Swaffham 1st team , and the 3rds versus Lakenham Union 2nds. Both kickoff at 2pm. So, to get your rugby fix next Saturday, if you can’t get down to Westcliff, come a watch the boys at Bridge Road.

MOTM Congratulations to our Moongazerale man of the match Charlie Cowling sponsored by Birketts – Barnstorming back row display. Held his own and better against what is widely considered to be the best back row in the league. Great game

DOTD Tom Jackson. Rushed a tap penalty and lost possession. Plus showing off with the drop goal!

Tries Jackson, Medler, Yarbo, Gowing
Cons Jackson (2)
Drop Goal Jackson

Chairman Rob Hughes commented - Despite the weather making the final decision to play or not to play a little precarious, I was so glad to see the game on and the boys back on the pitch.
As I said to them afterwards, I just could not be prouder of the way they lifted themselves and played. We were right in the heat of the game until the last quarter when a strong Chelmsford team edged ahead. There is so much to build on with this player group and I have a full belief in their ability such that the remains of the season should be quite exciting. Well one lads.