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HAVERHILL are struggling to maintain their newly acquired status as they rebuild their side.

They remain rooted to the bottom of the Eastern Counties Division Two north still looking for their first points of the season since being promoted.

“We have lost a lot of senior players,” said club spokesman Shaun McLeod-Jones. “And we are trying to buy time as the younger players come through.

“Several have been pushing into the first team sooner than we would have wished.”

The lack of size and experience was evident against Thurston and Haverhill faded to a 32 – 7 defeat after scoring first.

They were already under pressure when coach Peter Young, pressed into service by injuries to two fly-halves, ran scrum ball inside how own 22.He broke out and found support which put scrum half Steve Bowak in under the posts for Steve Power to convert.

But it was Thurston who continued to pile on the pressure and it took some sterling defence to keep them out.

However it was only a matter of time before the visitors registered their first half score even if it took an unobserved knock on for them top break through.

The Haverhill players stopped but the referee had not spotted the offence and Thurston found themselves level.

Problems mounted for Haverhill who lost full back Power with a sprained ankle and then Young with a rib injury.

But the defence remained solid and despite dominating the second half the visitors could add only three tries.

“Our boys tackled their hearts out and could so easily have gone down by a much bigger score,” said McLeod-Jones. “Thurston were much bigger upfront and this took its toll, but it was a brave performance by everyone.”

McLeod-Jones stood down as coach after the game because of ill health and he is about to under go his 61st operation.

“Last year I struggled when I underwent two operations and it looks as if I need to have surgery again quite soon,” he explained.

“I don’t know how long I will be out of action and so Kevin Butler and Peter Young will be taking over the coaching duties.”