Manor traveled to Saffron Walden this week hoping to build on their recent run of victories, but their performance failed to sparked on bonfire night.

With Manor kicking off the half, the first few minutes of play were fairly even with neither side taking the advantage. That was until the first scrum when the Manor eight overpowered their opposition, this was an area where Manor would dominate for most of the match.

It was Manor who created the first scoring opportunity of the game when a good break by George Harman took play inside Walden's half, the ball then went to Andrew Connors who shipped the ball along to Nick Sheppard who cut inside his man and raced into the oppositions 22, he then broke through the next tackle but was brought to ground 8 meters short of the line by a trip from the hosts fullback, which was missed by the ref. Manor still kept the attack going as they recycled the ball along the line to Tryson Goodchild who drove to the line only to be held up just short of the line and as Manor piled in to win the ball the ref penalised them for going over the top allowing Walden to clear the danger from the subsequent penalty.

Manor we're having the better of things but Walden's defence was well organised and it was the home side who scored first. From a line out inside Manors half they crashed the ball up through the centre before recycling quick ball out to the wing, here they made good ground along the touchline before drawing the last defender and passing inside to the supporting player who went in unopposed behind the posts. With the simple conversion successful after 15 minutes of play Walden led 0 - 7.

Things almost got a lot worse for Manor as they controlled the game taking play to Walden's 22, here they worked a potential overlap on the wing but as the ball went along the line the Walden defender tried to intercept the ball, knocking it on in the process. He then gathered the ball and set off, no one from either side followed him expecting the ref to give a scrum, it wasn't until the player got to the halfway line did the ref say play on, somehow missing something that all the players had seen, Walden looked certain to get their second try. That was before flying winger Ollie Phillips set off from the opposite side of the pitched and gradually chased the ball carrier down, catching him on the line and holding the ball up stopping a certain try.

From the scrum, Walden despite being under pressure won the ball and tested Manors defence again, this time Manor held the ball up and won a scrum of their own. From here Garth Tucker drove off the back taking play to Manors 22, with quick recycled ball Connors broke a couple of tackles before feeding Phillips out on the wing. He raced along the touch line before being bundled into touch inside Walden's half. Here Rory Moore stole the ball and Manor set up a rolling maul taking play 20 meters upfield before the maul was stopped illegally. Manor kicked for a line out and again drove towards the line where Goodchild was held up over the line for an attacking scrum. Here Manor drove their opponents back at pace and although Freddie Newbury dived over the line with the ball the ref had already awarded a penalty try. With Sheppard adding the extras after 24 minutes Manor had now drawn level 7 - 7.

The hosts were next to score when after winning a couple of line outs and good driving play, their swift back line worked the ball out to the wing where their winger had the pace to squeeze in at the corner. With the difficult conversion successful Walden led 7 - 14 after 28 minutes.

Walden scored the next points when after some good interplay between their forwards and backs they worked the ball into Manors half, here they won a penalty, Manor couldn't help themselves and after some backchat to the ref found themselves marched back another 10 meters taking the penalty into kicking range. The gift was taken and Manor now found themselves 7 - 17 down after 30 minutes.

Manor soon reduced the deficit as they upped the tempo and went to their forwards who were having the better of their counterparts. After winning a couple of penalties they took a line out 10 meters from Walden's line. Jack Sullivan secured the ball and set up a rolling maul which was halted just short of the line, Newbury got his hands on the ball and darted for the line but was repelled by the solid defence. With another ruck set up John Robinson got his hand on the ball and drove over from close range for Manors second try. This time the conversion was missed but with the half coming to a close Manor had reduce the difference to 12 - 17.

Manor were finishing the half the stronger of the two sides, from the restart Harman again made good ground before James Osborn slip through a gap making 20 meters taking play into Walden's 22, but as Manor shipped the ball along the line a knock on halted a promising attack. From the scrum Manor turned the ball over and drove forwards and over the line, but were unable to ground the ball, the ref was playing advantage so gave a penalty 8 meters out. Manor opted for a scrum and drove the Walden 8 backwards allowing Tucker to pick up from the base and power over the line for Manors third try, which went unconverted. With time up the ref blew for half time with all things square at 17 - 17.

Walden kicked off the second half and had the better of the early exchanges, Manors discipline was again a factor when Sullivan was shown a yellow card for a no arms tackle. Walden took advantage of the extra man and worked their way into Manors 22 where a couple of missed tackles allowed the hosts to go over the line for their third try and although the conversion was missed they had retaken the lead 17 - 22.

From the restart Walden were penalised for obstruction allowing Manor to kick deep into Walden's 22 for an attacking line out. Robinson won the throw in and fed Goodchild who drove over the line but was unable to ground the ball and as he struggled the ball was stripped from his grasp. From behind their own try line Walden launched a swift counterattack with great interplay between forwards and backs taking play deep into Manors 22. Here Manors stretched defence managed to halt the attack, but at the cost of a penalty and another yellow card, this time to Freddie Newbury, Manor were now down to 13.

Walden chose to take a tap penalty and test Manors depleted defence, which held firm eventually turning the ball over and clearing their lines. But Walden continued to attack and eventually their numerical advantage told as they worked Manors stretched defences then a chip into space saw the hosts fullback gather the ball and go behind the posts for a 7 point score. After 15 minutes of the second half Walden had increased their lead to 17 - 29.

Manor now upped their game and attacked Walden through their forwards, backing up a charge by Moore, Manor forwards drove towards the line, a ruck was set up a few meters short of the try line where substitute Barney Newbury drove off the back and despite the best efforts of a couple of defenders managed to ground the ball for Manors fourth try. Harman took on the kicking duties and from the touch line added the extra points and after 20 minutes Manor were back in the game at 24 - 29.

Manor were now back to full strength and bossing the game through their forwards, from a scrum inside their half Barney Newbury picked up from the base of the scrum and made 20 meters before being taken to ground and winning a penalty which Manor kicked to touch inside Walden's 22. Manor won the throw in allowing Sullivan to drive towards the line although good defence stopped him a couple of meters short, Manors pack were there in numbers where Misiona Evagelia picked up and drove over the line and thought he had grounded the ball, but the ref didn't agree and awarded an attacking scrum. Manor won this allowing Barney Newbury to pick up and drive over the line, but again the ref disallowed the score and re-set the scrum. Again Manor won the scrum this time Evagelia drove towards the line but was stopped just short but he managed to reach out and put the ball on the line but the ref disallowed the score deeming a double movement by Evagelia, this allowed Walden to clear the danger from a penalty.

Manor continued to have the upper hand, Connors made a break that took play deep into Walden's territory he then linked with Phillips who set off along the touch line only to be brought down short of the line, with a ruck set up the ref penalised the home side from coming in at the side and issued a yellow card to one of their players. Manor opted to take a scrum when they drove the home pack back a number of meters allowing Barney Newbury to pick up and from close range dive over the line for Manors fifth try. The conversion from out wide was missed but after 30 minutes the scores were again tied, 29 - 29.

Immediately from the restart Barney Newbury punched holes in Walden's defence making 25 meters before the ball was moved swiftly along the line out to Connors who blasted through a gap and looked on his was to score when the ref brought play back for a forward pass. At the scrum Manor destroyed the home pack winning a penalty. A kick at goal was attempted but from distance, the kick fell just short.

As both sides strived to find the winning score, play became scrappy and was littered with mistakes which hampered both teams attempts to score and the ref finally brought the contest to a conclusion at 29 - 29.

On reflection a draw was perhaps the correct result although both sides will be ruining missed opportunities to win the game. Manor forwards were dominant against the opposition pack, but Walden's backline were lively with ball in hand. Manor know that they did not perform to the level that they have for the past few weeks and after a weeks rest they face a stern test at home against North Walsham and will need to rediscover their form to get anything out of the fixture.