St Ives 0 vs. Stamford 15
This Saturday saw St Ives travel to Stamford for their first league game of the 2006/07 season. After last weeks comprehensive win over Huntingdon, spirits were high within the camp. A strong team travelled up the A1 to East Midlands 5 new boys – despite the confidence being high, there was still apprehension as Stamford are an unknown entity to St Ives.
The first half started brightly with both sides exchanging blows, testing each others defence and trying to spot weaknesses. Some strong drives from James Cannon at inside centre and young again second row Ed Salmon gave St Ives possession in the Stamford half, unfortunately Stamford managed to turn over possession and clear their lines. The resulting kick didn’t find touch but a good chase from the Stamford pack resulted in an interception allowing the 2 nd row a clear run in under the posts. The conversion was successful. Stamford 7 – St Ives 0. This score seemed to lift the St Ives pack who attacked again with extra vigour and from this point on enjoyed the majority of possession and territory for the remainder of the second half. Despite this dominant possession, St Ives seemed unable to convert it into points, partly due to the resilient Stamford defence, but also due to the lack of cohesion in the St Ives team, it would seem that St Ives still had last weeks victory in their minds, with each member of the team believing they could score off first phase possession.
The second half continued along the same vein as the first, with neither side seeming able to break the deadlock. Both sides came close a number of times, with Ollie Moorhouse breaking the lines with some excellent running and Pete Hammond being held up over the line. Unfortunately it was Stamford again who struck first with a penalty to bring the score to 10 – 0 in the hosts favour. With 5 minutes left in the game St Ives looked to up their game, but were dealt a sucker blow when the Stamford Scrum half sniped from the back of a scrum and went over in the corner. This brought the final score to Stamford 15 – St Ives 0.
Speaking after the game Ross Thompson was annoyed by the St Ives performance. “We lost to a weak team who never really looked like scoring, we gifted them a soft try in the opening encounters, and let one in during the last 5 minutes. The rest of the game was a good battle and I believe we had the edge on them, unfortunately for us though the lack of cohesion scuppered any attack we mounted. It’s back to the training field for us this week to concentrate on drills and moves – Aylestone St James will not be as forgiving next week”
St Ives entertain Aylestone St James next weekend (30 th September) at Somersham Road, 3pm Kick Off.