2024 off to a flyer!!

2024 kicked off with a County Cup match against local rivals St Neots at Chicken Shack.
Heavily disrupted training and cancelled matches due to the biblical weather, Noah and his ark wasn't going to get in the way of this match!!

For the first time in a while we had subs!! (Not the underwater type that we would have needed if we had more rain)
Arlan the "ankle snapper" Dare was back after his enforced break but we unfortunately lost Isaac "the dependable" due to the dreaded RONA and last matches MOTM Josh "the bosh" Hickman due to unavailability.

Starting lineup was
1. Max "Power" C
2. Bobby "the wrecking ball"
3. Eli "the destroyer"
4. Callum "the lump hammer"
5. Dan "Raging Bull"
6. Frank "the tank"
7. Sam "The crocodile roll"
8. Alex "Swan dive"
9. Owen "the terrier"
10. Jack "the ginger marauder"
11. Will "the whippet"
12. Hayden "the silent assassin"
13. Harry "jinky feet"
14. Axel "destroyer of men!"
15. Fin "the fearless"

Subs
Mahid "the steam roller"
Max "the bosh" B
Jonah "sure hands"
Rupert "the conductor"
Lewis "the honey badger"

The match started with Ives having a head of steam, breaks from Callum, Hayden, Bobby and Sam opened up St Neots like a can of worms, all of the lads were securing the ball, supporting the runners and tackling everything in sight!
2 Tries from Callum "the lump hammer" Watts and 1 from Hayden "the silent assassin" Beary and 1 conversion from Owen "the terrier" Dollard. The St Neots spirit was broken, sensible resting of players and all of our subs getting at least half a match, did'nt detract from the intensity the boys played!

The second half started as as the ives left off, good rucking, tackling and off loading, this led to the moment of the match, Alex formally known as butters due to his unusually slippery fingers, took the ball around half way, pinned back his ears, threw a dummy, shook his snake hips and side stepped to score under the posts with a swan dive to top it off. The only thing missing was a Max C goose step (so 4 out of 5 Tulip)

Callum scored again to get his hattrick after Jack "the ginger marauder" was held up and offloaded to the lump hammer! (both tries converted by Owen)

One, against the run of play, try for St Neots was the only blemish on an excellent St Ives performance!

As coaches we are so proud of the boys, St Neots commented on the development of the team since last season. The team fought together, have taken on board what we have taught them and stood in positions they normally wouldn't! This team if they stick together will be a force to be reckoned with in the next couple of months!

UP THE IVES!

Jeff, Sponge and Mark