Newmarket 38 vs Southwold 0

Newmarket seem to be specialising in games that be described as a tale of two halves and this was yet another to which that description could be attached.

Southwold were the last team to win at in the league at Scaltback, almost two years to the day so the home team felt that there was a score to settle, with several players injured in the previous weeks game, coach Sayer took the opportunity to look at the options available within the squad, giving Duncan Precious his first start in over a year in the second row.

The early scrum exchanges looked ominous for the visitors as the front row of Terenzi, Wilson and Smith set about their opposite numbers, shunting the visiting pack backwards at a rate of knots, at the breakdown the fact that the visitors were faring better was in the main down to some sterling work from their blindside wing ford whose work over the tackle area slowed down much of Newmarket’s possession. With slow ball and the backline not finding the form from last season, the home forwards took matters into their own hands and from a succession of drives in the visitors twenty two, Newmarket’s very own Gladiator Daniele Terenzi, a recent recruit from Rome barrelled his way over for his debut score, giving skipper Mike Reeves an easy conversion.

With things going from bad to worse at scrum time for the visitors it was no surprise to see their Loose Head prop leave the field shortly before half time, as their nominated front row replacement who had started the game had already been replaced the referee had no option but to go to uncontested scrums, leaving Newmarket frustrated at the removal of a clear area of superiority.

At the break, coach Sayer reiterated the importance of sticking to the match game plan. Straight after the interval Southwold were penalised and Reeves struck a crisp penalty to stretch the lead to ten points, from the restart Newmarket re-gathered the ball and looked to attack, with the visitors defence slow to come up, the home side transferred the ball quickly along the backs before fullback Patrick Tapley entered the line at pace cutting a great angle he beat the initial defence before going on an arcing run to outpace the cover and score near the posts, giving Reeves another successful kick.

Seventeen points to the good, Newmarket seemed to relax and began to play some enterprising rugby, number eight Richie Harper continued his impressive early season form with another try, Reeves had certainly brought his kicking boots to the match as he added the extra points with a difficult conversion from the right hand touchline.

At this point the game really began to open up, without the draining effects of live scrummages both sets of forwards were getting about the field well, and Southwold showed exactly why they were promoted as champions last year with some good attacking rugby, despite this the home defence held firm and Tapley was soon causing consternation in the visitors ranks once again as he used his impressive pace down the top touch line, his pass found scrum half John Frank in support and with just a single man to beat Franks gave the scoring pass to the supporting Precious who showed that a modern second row can do more than just push in the scrum, once again Reeves added the extra points.

With the result now beyond question it was merely a matter of how big the final score would be, the fact that Newmarket only added one other try was a testament to the commitment of the visitors who despite being outgunned on the day never let their heads drop, it was fitting though that the final score should go to Patrick Tapley as the fullback again used his pace and vision the race away from the defence, leaving Reeves a simple task of adding the two extra points to round off the scoring.

Next week Newmarket travel to Holt, before the league program takes a break the following week when the team open their Junior Vase campaign at Essex Division 1 side Clacton. After the game coach Dave Sayer said, ‘It is important that we keep the momentum going next week against Holt, they are traditionally difficult to beat on their own ground and usually have an abrasive pack of forward, but if we can win enough quick ball I feel the pace we have in the side will cause them problems. We’ll focus on that game but I’m looking forward to the challenges posed by playing different opposition in the Vase competition, most of the teams in this league know each other well so it will be good for the players to come up against some unfamiliar opposition’