Ely Tigers Welcomed Woodbridge

Just one game with the wind playing such a huge part would be nice!!

Ely Tigers welcomed Woodbridge to the Cambridge Commodities Park for what would be another game that battled the latest storm, the recent downpours had made the pitch sticky in places, the home side was once again forced to make changes to the starting fifteen.

Tigers got the game underway, kicking with the brisk wind at their backs, Woodbridge started brightly, and with some quick hands saw them make progress into the Ely twenty-two, a kick forward was ushered out by the home side, a quickly taken line out, came to nothing as Ely cleared their lines.

Tigers looked to for gaps in the Woodbridge defence, and with the try line sight the visitors held firm, finally stealing the ball away from the home side, but the game was brought back for a penalty, opting for the scrum, Ely looked to walk the ball over, but again they were held up, with another penalty awarded in front of the post, Ely opted to kick, Joel Scott Paul stood up to slot the ball over for the first score of the afternoon. The lead didn’t last long as on the very next drive, Woodbridge were too awarded a penalty, despite kicking into the wind, score board showed the teams level.

A succession of scrums for Ely produced the opening try of the afternoon, with the ball coming out of the scrum to find Matt Macarthy who fed the ball out to Charlie Coupland who crossed over the try line unchallenged, Scott Paul added the extra points to open the gap, on the stoke of half time, Ely were awarded another penalty in front of the posts to lead at the break 13-3.

The second half started with Ely pinned back in their own half, eventually Ely found themselves in the Woodbridge half, and making yards as they moved the ball from right to left, looking for gaps, but again Woodbridge stood firm, with the brisk wind behind Woodbridge it was no surprise that when they were awarded a penalty just inside the Ely half the decided to kick for the points, but the kick stayed low and fell short of the posts, from the restart, Ely could clear their lines, and back came Woodbridge, but again the Warriors failed to dent the score line, a rare visit out of their own half, it was Ely that added to the score, from a line out on the left the ball was passed from side to side, finishing out on the right, where Jake Alsop went over the try line, Scott Paul was unable to add the extra points.

Woodbridge finally went over the try line, to set up a nervy finish, passing the ball out to the left, managed to miss the tackles they went over to score, with the conversion added, the remainder of the game saw Ely looking for the next try, and the game became tetchy at times with the visitors questioning some of the officials decisions, neither side was able to add to the score line, as the home side run out 18-10 winners.

Match report and photographs Steve Wells