Stoneygate 40 St Ives 3
St Ives travelled up the A47 to Leicester with a much depleted squad to face mid-table Stoneygate on a bitterly cold winter's afternoon.
Having faced Stoneygate twice in the league last season, winning one and losing one, Saints went into the encounter optimistic. However, with several key players unable to travel, the tone of the game was unsure.
However, Ives started disastrously, leaking a soft try in the first 5 minutes, and their heads went down. Although set pieces were, as usual, solid – the ugly sisters of Ives front row Hammond, Gilburt and Dear reunited after injuries, Ives open play was disjointed and at times panicky. Stoneygate went to town on a Saints team in disarray, and racked up 35 points in the first half. Strong running from their backs coupled with some poor tackling from Ives essentially handed the home side the game. As the half progressed, Ives started to get annoyed with themselves and at the ref – who was proving to be an empty shirt as he lost control of the game very early on with some shocking decisions for both teams, even being unsure of some of the laws at times, being unable to be clear on even the most basic calls and allowing Stoneygate to get away with some horrendous stamping incidents.
The half ended, and Ives made some changes to their line up and came out firing much more completely. Saints spent the majority of the half camped in Stoneygate's territory, attacking well and showing that they could tackle well. Open play was functional and determined with the Ives forwards rucking Stoneygate off the ball and putting together some excellent driving mauls, with prop Josh Dear and lock Ross “special Ben” Thompson rolling off the side to set up the next phase. After one such attack, Thompson broke away and powered to the Stoneygate line but was held up over the line. But things were looking up for Ives. After some prolonged pressure, fly half Jack Blackley got himself in a position to go for a drop goal, which he took to score Ives first (and only) points of the game. Ives only leaked one try this half, but it wasn't enough. 40-3 to Stoneygate.
Speaking after the game, St Ives captain Pete Hammond said “I was disappointed with today's display. The first half was atrocious, we had some ref decisions go against us and we let our heads drop. We were arguing amongst ourselves and blaming each other for what was going on around us, which gifted Stoneygate the opportunity to play their game uninterrupted. The second half was a totally different affair, and we fought back much better. But it is still a worry – we were camped in their half for the majority of the second half and only came away with a drop goal. We should have been able to put far more points on the board than we did. I just hope we can now put 2007 behind us and start afresh in 2008”.
Saints now have a break until the 5 th of January when they entertain Aylestone Athletic in the league. But away from the league, there is the issue of the “Overs vs. Unders” game on the 29 th of December…
`