As the season nears the end for Ely Tigers, they need to revenge a defeat earlier in the season against visitors, Ipswich YM, a win would also keep league leaders Holt within touching distance if they slipped up.
Ryan Clark got the game underway for the Tigers, as the ball came down it was gathered by Adam Tallack, the forwards helped push the ball forward picking up momentum until the ball was released by captain Matt McCarthy to Alfie Ramswell who crossed over the try line in the corner, Jake Alsop was unlucky with the conversion, made difficult by the strong winds, on this occasion the ball hit the upright and fell away, the lead was quickly doubled, with Tigers winning a line out, again the forwards pushed forward, pushing YM backwards, as they were unable to prevent Nathan Brooks going down to score, Alsop was able to add the conversion to lead 12-0.
YM started to come more into the game from the restart, and on their first attack they were able to put points on the board, as they went over to the right of the post, the conversion, like the Tigers first one cannoned off the posts, the game started to settle down with both sides looking to gain yards, and it was Ely that troubled the scoreboard once more, from a Tigers scrum, with George Newman breaking out of the scrum to feed Alsop, who broke free to weave thru the defense to score, he was unable to convert his own try, with 15 minutes on the clock, Ely had secured the bonus point try, with Newman once more in the thick of things, with the ball finally finding Ramswell for his second try of the afternoon, again the conditions hampered the conversion as Tigers lead 22-5, the visitors chances of coming back into the game were hampered when they went a man down to a yellow card for a tackle, Tigers were unable to make the numerical advantage count as they weather the storm, as YM went back to their 15, it was Tigers that then then lost a man, with Matt French shown a yellow card, with the resulting penalty YM camped out on the Ely try line, but they failed to take any advantage as the half time break came.
The visitors started the better of the two sides with Ely pinned back and it cam as no surprise when they scored a converted try to close the gap to 10 points, from the restart Tallack once more gathered up the ball from the restart but YM stole it back, applying more pressure on the Tigers line, on 61 minutes YM were awarded a penalty, opting to go for the points, a successful attempt would have brought YM to touching distance away, the kick looked good, using the wind to bend the ball back in, but it didn’t move enough as the ball hit the post and fell to arms of Ely, enabling them the chance to clear up field.
Another penalty for YM gave them another chance to close the gap, this time closer in, and this time there was no mistake as the ball sailed thru the posts, the visitor’s were now just a converted try away from drawing level, on 73 minutes a mistake from YM that was to prove a costly one, with Matt French picking up the ball to race free towards the try line, managing to touch down under a challenge, with Alsop able to add the extra points, to open on a gap, as the game drew to a close, there was still time for YM to finish off the scoring, with 80 minutes on the clock they managed to score a converted try, the time was now in the hands of the official, a mistake from the restart from Clark gave the ball back to YM and a scrum, on the half way line, Ely had to win the ball back, they stood firm, the official finally brought the game to a close with players from both sides pushing and shoving each other as tempers rose.
The win leave Tigers in second place, 8 points behind league leaders Holt, with three games left, it looks like a play-off place for Tigers come the end of the season, with third placed Thurston 10 points behind, and who have still to visit Ely.
Next up for Tigers is an away trip to bottom placed Woodbridge on the 19th February.
Press release from Ely Tigers Rugby Club
Photo credit: Steve Wells
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