In pur final pre-Christmas round-up of the local rugby action, there are good wins for Bury St Edmunds, Colchester and Stowmarket, among others.
National Two South
BURY ST EDMUNDS returned from a trip to the London Irish Wild Geese with a superb 26-5 victory, earning the bonus point.
The Wolfpack battled both the Geese and the weather – conditions were horrendous, temperatures of around zero, plus 40mph winds and rain and sleet.
The home side actually took the lead after six minutes through winger Josh Amadi, but that would be their only score of the day.
After 11 minutes the visitors scored the first of their tries with Tui Uru offloading beautifully to flanker Tom Browne, who scored under the posts, Franco Catuogno converting.
The game turned after half an hour, when London’s number eight Chris Brown was red-carded for headbutting Bury’s Yasin Browne. Three minutes later, Bury extended their lead as Mark Kohler crossed, Catuogno again converting.
The West Suffolk side were now dominant, Alex Grey adding another score to make it 19-5 at the break.
Kohler added his second soon after, Catuogno adding the extras, and Bury were home and hosed, with the bonus point confirmed.
Bury welcome former coach Gavin Hogg and his new side Old Albanians this Saturday.
London One North
COLCHESTER saw off local rivals SUDBURY in style, triumphing 38-3 in Essex.
Their visitors actually took the lead through a penalty, but that would be the only time they troubled the scorers all day.
Brock Price put Colchester ahead to stay with the first of his three tries, a tally which he soon doubled to make it 12-3.
Prop James Mitchell made it 19-3 just before the break, while Brett Cutbush continued the try rush in the second half, making it 26-3 as the conditions worsened.
Price added his hat-trick score for 31-3 before newcomer Kevin Tavainavesi snagged an interception and went over for the final score.
Colchester resume their promotion push on January 5 at Ruislip.
London Two North East
SOUTHWOLD were beaten by a last-gasp penalty in the wind and the cold on Southwold Common, losing 8-6 to Norwich.
It what was a hard-fought but often error-strewn game, Norwich took the lead through David Micklethwaite, in what would prove to be the only try of the game. The conversion missed in impossible conditions.
Back came ‘Wold, with Josh Wallis defying the weather to slot two huge penalties, from 40 and 45 metres out, and give the home side the lead at the break.
With the weather worsening in the second stanza, Josh Crick came so close to crossing for Southwold but was held up just three metres from the line.
And, with Norwich camped out in the ‘Wold 22 with five minutes to play, they eventually earned a penalty in front of the posts.
Mike Lawton duly converted it with less than a minute to play, giving Norwich the win and avenging their defeat in the reverse fixture earlier this season, when Southwold scored in the last minute to triumph!
Elsewhere, STOWMARKET travelled to close rivals IPSWICH in terrible conditions, and returned home with a 23-8 win.
Jack Haward and Leif Bjornson crossed to give them the advantage – the latter via a mazy 30-metre run – before Ipswich came back into it with a try and penalty before half-time to make it 10-8 Stow.
But Stow dominated in the second to pull away, Bjornson crossing again and Adam Clayson adding two penalties to give the game its final scoreline.
London Three Eastern Counties
WOODBRIDGE enjoyed an 18-10 win over Suffolk rivals IPSWICH YM.
The Warriors seized the advantage through an Angus Clogg penalty and Tom Stokes try, before Kaselle Lee responded for YM.
Back came Woodbridge, flying winger Reece Monk slamming down a diving try to make it 15-5 at the break.
Clogg stretched the lead with another penalty and, though Elliot Chilvers grabbed a second try for YM, that was as close as they could get.
London Three Essex
Rejuvenated BRAINTREE moved up into fourth place in London 3 Essex with their fourth successive victory in a pulsating north Essex derby, besting rivals CHELMSFORD 29-22.
James Abbott (two), Dominic Dann and Keelan Joslin got the tries for ‘Tree, with Josh Wadforth adding penalties.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here