BILLERICAY U10s enjoyed a successful first trip to the Essex B Festival by walking away with the plate trophy at the event in Southend.
The Bees opened up with a tough clash against the hosts, and it was a game in which both teams showed great skills.
Southend took the lead after capitalising on a mistake, but Max Forster scored a try to ensure a 1-1 draw.
Sevenoaks were the next opponents for Billericay, and after a sloppy start, they eventually won the game thanks to Tom Hollaman's try after a drive up the field by the forwards.
Next up was a clash with Brentwood, and after an inspirational team talk, the youngsters put their opponents to the sword with a dominant performance, running in three unanswered tries.
Zach Canno-Lopez scored two, including a classic pick and drive which any senior prop would be proud of, and George Durham added the third.
The Bees then took on another unbeaten side in Upminster in what was a must-win clash. Again they impressed and won 3-1, Joseph Snoxhall, Tom Vasey and Durham the scorers.
They arguably saved their best for the final group game, putting in a great showing to beat Bishop's Stortford 7-0, thanks to tries from Forster (2), Luke Mason, Adam Wares, Canno-Lopez, Durham and Snoxhall.
Billericay were joint top of the group, but Southend progressed to the cup final on number of tries scored, but the Bees were determined to go home with a trophy as they lined up against Westcliff for the plate final.
Vasey put the Bees ahead, but the try was cancelled out before half-time – and Billericay would have been behind soon in the second were it not for a great tackle by Joe Hudson.
As time ran out, it was with the last play of the match that the Bees claimed the win when Louis Travers-Cook powered over.
Billericay: Adam Wares, Isabel Beadle, Max Forster, Max Morris, Tom Vasey, Louis Travers-Cook, Joseph Snoxall, Tom Hollaman, Oscar Harmer, Liam Peryer, Joe Hudson, George Durham, Zach Canno-Lopez, Luke Mason.
