Cup Win for Tigers

Ely Tigers took a break from the league to face Shelford 3’s in the Cambridgeshire Intermediate County Cup at Davey Field on Friday evening.

Tigers fielded a changed starting 15 handing debuts to Michael Reeves and Joe Coyle, there was also a place for Joel Scott Paul, who due to injury has been missing from the squad.

Tigers made the brighter start, and with 14 minutes on the clock they scored the first try of the evening, as in previous weeks, Ely scrum has been powerful, and proved the same again, as they pushed Shelford back towards their try line, George Newman was able to break from the rear to find Nathan Brookes to go over, Jake Alsop added the conversion to give Tigers a 7-0 lead, with 21 minutes on the clock, the second try of the evening came, and a it was a mirror image of the first, Ely scrum, Shelford pegged back on their try line, Newman finding Brookes for his second try of the evening, with Alsop adding the conversion, the lead was soon increased again, and again it was the Ely scrum proved to strong for Shelford, again Newman was able to peel of the back and carried the ball over the try line, Alsop was able to add the extra points.

Ely were continually getting success from the line out, with the impressive Matt French winning the majority of the ball in the air, and it was from a line out that the fourth try of the evening came, a line out inside the 5 meter area, saw the Ely pack push back Shelford, with the try line in sight Brookes went down with the ball, Alsop was able to add the extra points with half time looming, from the restart the home side had their best spell of the game, forcing Ely into needless errors and penalties, it was from a penalty that Shelford scored their first points of the evening, going over the try line near the posts as Ely’s defense gave out, the conversion was added as the half time score finished 28-7.

The second started with both sides failing to gain any advantage, it was Ely that added to the score board first, from another line out inside the 5 meter area, Ely were able to get Brookes over again for his third try of the evening, Alsop was unable to keep his 100% record as the ball went to the right of the upright as Ely led 35-7, Ely then lost their advantage at the scrum with the scrums going to uncontested, on 65 minutes Ely added to their score, with Brookes finding space to break his pass found second half replacement, Grant Storey, who sped forward to go over the try line to keep up his impressive recent scoring record, as the final score finished with a 40-7 win.

Tigers go back to league action this weekend with the visit to the Cambridge Commodities Park of third placed Thurston, kick off 3pm.

Press release from Ely Tigers Rugby Club

Photo credit: Steve Wells