St Ives 2nd XV delivered a performance full of heart, unity and intent yesterday, in a match played with immense pride in memory of a fantastic coach and club man, Terry Stewart. With Terry’s son in attendance, the home ground was alive with passion as the St Ives boys came together to produce a display that truly honoured his legacy.
From the opening whistle, this well-drilled St Ives side started strongly, immediately putting pressure on the visitors, who were clearly unprepared for the work rate and intensity developed since our last challenging fixture. The tone was set early at the set piece. In the scrums, the St Ives pack marched Saffron Walden back down the pitch with control and power, asserting dominance and laying the platform for the afternoon.
Strong forward play and intelligent ball movement created early opportunities, and it was Ben Peach who crossed for the first try of the match, rewarding sustained pressure from the home side. St Ives continued to control possession, and further excellent teamwork saw Jack Fitch add to the scoreline twice, before half-time, as St Ives headed into the break firmly on the front foot.
Following rousing and grounding words from head coach Josh Dear, St Ives returned for the second half knowing the challenge ahead. As energy levels dipped, Saffron Walden fought hard to stay in the contest, but a recharged Jack Fitch stepped up once again, asserting his dominance with a series of powerful finishes to complete an outstanding four-try haul on the day. Backing the performance with tries for the forwards came as Shaun Mundy secured another try for the home team.
One of the standout moments of the match came when Jordan Hawes powered through the heart of the Walden defence, showing immense drive and determination before delivering a perfectly timed offload to Gabe Fraser, who finished well to secure another try for St Ives. Caught up in the moment, celebrations ran a little high, resulting in a restart penalty for Walden, but nothing could dampen the spirit of the occasion.
Added to these incredible plays, Matt Millar, taking kicking responsibility, added 4 conversions to the points board.
To their credit, Saffron Walden battled relentlessly to the very end. Their determination only fuelled St Ives further, with the final ten minutes turning into a true forwards’ battle, dominated by scrums as St Ives dug deep and closed out the game.
It was a solid, entertaining contest between two committed sides, but one in which St Ives did more than make their club proud. This performance felt like a turning point in the season, a statement that this team is here to challenge right through to the end.