Witham Rugby Club came out on top in a hard-fought, back-and-forth contest, edging past Basildon Rugby Club 24–15 in a game that swung in momentum and tested both sides right to the final quarter.

Witham set the tone early, starting with purpose and physicality. Sustained early pressure paid dividends on 13 minutes when Sam Wilkinson broke through to open the scoring, with George Smith converting to make it 7–0. The hosts continued to apply pressure and, after a period of Basildon resistance, Wilkinson struck again on 35 minutes. Smith once more added the extras as Witham built a commanding lead.

Just before the break, Witham capitalised again, Smith coolly slotting a penalty to send the home side into half-time 17–0 ahead, a scoreline that reflected their control but perhaps didn’t fully capture Basildon’s competitiveness.

The second half told a very different story. Basildon came out firing and began to swing the momentum their way, crossing on 50 minutes to get themselves back into the contest, though the conversion was missed. Pressure continued to build, and further tries followed on 65 and 72 minutes. Crucially for Witham, the conversions failed — one bouncing back off the upright — keeping the game finely balanced.

With the match threatening to slip away, Witham showed real composure. Digging deep and responding when it mattered most, they launched a determined attack that ended with Harvey Clements finishing well in the corner. Smith stepped up under pressure and converted, giving Witham the breathing space they needed.

From there, Witham managed the closing stages intelligently, seeing out a competitive and entertaining fixture to secure the win.

Full Time: Witham 24 – Basildon 15

A game of shifting momentum, strong competition and big moments — and a result built on Witham’s ability to stay calm and deliver when it counted most.