Haverhill 12 - Ely 24

Jimbo · Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 5:20 pm Post subject: Haverhill 12 - Ely 24

Here you go guys.

Haverhill Vs Ely – Junior Vase.

1. Grant Deeks
2. Matt Stephenson (Ben Jones)
3. Luke Dore
4. Martin Ransome
5. Tony Smith
6. Carl Anderson
7. Ricky Brown
8. Ricky Harris (Kevin Carr)
9. Simon Lester
10. Jake Plumbridge
11. Brodie Patrick
12. Chris Claydon (Bradley Deeks)
13. Adam Hunt
14. Joe Brown
15. Mike Woods

Haverhill 12 Ely 24

Haverhill show this could be a great season

With inspirational captain Ryan Raffel out through injury sustained the previous week, Haverhill turned to the experience of Carl Anderson for a cup clash with an Ely side that play a league above Haverhill.

On a day where the conditions of a rock hard pitch and a 40 mile an hour wind, life was never going to be easy.

Ely were in the Haverhill half right from the kick off, but Haverhill showed good composure in all aspects of the game and gave Ely as good as they were being given.

Ely were in the Haverhill half for the first 10 minutes, however, a great intercept by Jake Plumbridge in the Haverhill 22M area, led to a break away try, beautifully executed between Plumbridge and Simon Lester led to Plumbridge crossing the line to take a 5 nil lead. The wind made the kick virtually impossible, and the try was not converted. At this point the referee changed his top from the light blue of the Haverhill kit to a green shirt, making things much better for teams and the sizable crowd at the castle fields.

Ely came back from the kick, but Haverhill defend well and turn the ball over from Ely, but the resultant back pass goes to no man’s land, putting the Haverhill line under pressure. Haverhill managed to clear the danger.

Matt Stephenson again showed his worth at hooker, wining ball against the head, and Haverhill continue to hold Ely at bay until the 20th minute.

Ely win a scrum on the Haverhill 10M line, and a quick strike to a not very straight put in, leads to Ely punching through the Haverhill line, and a final tackle by Mike Woods can not stop the layoff for a score under the posts and conversion. 5-7.

Ely continue to pressure, but Haverhill show great scrimmaging and drive Ely back on many occasions. On 30 minutes, Haverhill win a penalty where the ball is thrown away by Ely, not picked up by the official. Haverhill kick, but the ball slips past the right post for no score. 35 minutes into the game, Haverhill lose the ever improving Chris Claydon from the inside centre position to a possible concussive injury, replaced by Bradley Deeks.

With a minute to go before half time, the feeling that it would be a good first half was spoilt when Ely break through the Haverhill line from a scrum 30M out and score under the posts on the stroke of half time, converted. Haverhill turn 9 points down at 5-14.

From the off, Haverhill lose Ricky Harris (Kevin Carr) and then on five minutes lose Stephenson with a shoulder injury, replaced by Ben Jones.

Ely break through again on 15 minutes, but a knock on saves Haverhill. This leads to a period of extensive pressure from Ely and an infringement near the line leads to the referee going to his pocket and sin binning Jones on 18 minutes. This was quite surprising to the home crowd. Haverhill are now a man down for ten minutes, and playing uncontested scrums due to the loss of, the front row player.

On 22 minutes, another quick penalty by Ely leads to a score in the corner, taking the score to 5-19. The wind proves too much for the conversion.

Eleven minutes after the sin bin, Jones is still not on, and a huge forward pass leads to Ely scoring in the corner, much to the mirth of the home crowd. 5-24.

With Jones return Haverhill pressurise Ely again. Some really shocking infringements from Ely do not get the card they deserve, but Haverhill keep working and finally cross the line on 30 minutes for Grant Deeks to score his first try for the club. Plumbridge converts. 12-24.

Haverhill are now camped into the Ely half, and three further Ely spoiling infringements go unpunished with a card, much to the dismay of the Haverhill crowd. On 35 minutes, a great move by Haverhill leads to quick hands and Ely being left for dead for a score under the posts. However, the referee calls the move back for a forward pass, to the incredulity of a now windswept and resigned home crowd.

The final whistle was a relief to be honest. However, Coach Price can be pleased by the considerable improvement to the Haverhill side this year, as there is much to take out of the game. Your reported thinks the best side won, but this game should have been so much closer.

Haverhill travel to Harwich in the league next week for a huge test of how much improvement has taken place. Let’s hope there is some rain soon to soften up the ground.

Director of Rugby Andy Price quote “No Comment”

Skipper Raffel quote – “The boy’s played well today in tough conditions, but we stood up to the task and were effective. Next Saturday is the big one, as if we have any dreams of wining our league this year, we need to win away from home, and what a better place to start than Harwich. As we showed today, We Fear No One”

Echo Man Of Match – Ricky Brown and Tony Smith

Jim Morgan Castle Field, Haverhill.