Ely Tigers rounded of 2023 with their first return fixture of the season as they faced West Norfolk, Tigers were looking to revenge a 29-22 defeat from earlier in the season.
Tigers got off to the perfect start during the opening minute. Ely won a scrum and break quickly, with Matt French who in turn finds Joel Scott Paul to score under the posts, with the conversion added from the boot of Matt McCarthy, the lead was quickly doubled, with the home side, dominating the scrums Ely once more broke free, moving the ball across the pitch to find Jordan Barnes who went over the try line in the corner, a testing conversion was score from McCarthy, Barnes soon scored his second try of the afternoon, from the restart Ely picked the ball up and serged forward and in a mirror of his first try, Barnes went over in the same place in the corner, leaving another testing conversion for McCarthy, but this time in bounced off the upright and away.
The bonus point trey quickly came, from a line out Ely won the ball, and pushed back towards their own try line, with Grant Storey shielding the ball until releasing Jeremy Darley who crossed the line, the lead soon increased from the restart Barnes adds his hat trick try, again in the same corner, in what in the same corner that Tigers added another try, after Storey picked up a loose ball from a West Norfolk line out close to their own try line, he fed Barnes who went over, once again Ely pushed back West, that saw French go over for his second try of the afternoon, as Tigers lead at the break 41-0.
The second half didn’t see the same scoring rate as the first half, in fact paly was held up for a while due to an injury to a West Norfolk player, soon after that break in play Tigers went over again, from a clearance from the visitors Ely’s Mitch Kennett picked the ball up and breaking forward, freeing McCarthy, who finds second half replacement, Dan Piper to score, McCarthy adds a further try, and an conversion as the pressure from Tigers once more takes it toll, the last play of the game see’s Paul Dewey going over in the corner, unable to add the conversion the final score finishes with a 58-0 win
Press release from Ely Tigers Rugby Club
Photo credit: Steve Wells
On Sunday Ely Tigers Colts player, Tom Gunbie, was selected for the final Cambridgeshire Under 18 squad, as they travelled to Lowestoft & Yarmouth Rugby Club to play their Norfolk counter parts, Gunbie was able to chip in with 7 points, in a 32-5 win for Cambridgeshire, which was them lift the Tri-Counties Trophy for 2023/24
You must be logged in to post a comment.