The topsy turvy season continues for Ipswich after enjoying a comfortable lead of 18 points for 70 minutes of the game, before clinging onto a 23 point draw.

The match was preceded by a 1 minute silence in respect of Ipswich Club stalwart Roy Bouch who sadly died last week.

Ipswich kicked off from left to right going against the terrible conditions, however applying the early pressure forcing Romford deep into their own half.
Only long clearance kicks with the benefit of the gale force wind prevented a score.

Romford used the elements to good effect and on their first attack  Ipswich were penalised for straying offside. No9 Braiden kicked from the edge of the 22 metre line for the first score. (0-3).
Ipswich went straight back on the attack from the restart looking the more dangerous, however the pressure was undone by a forward pass giving Romford possession and again kicking long and chasing.
Romford increased their lead when Ipswich were penalised for a late tackle inside the 22, again No9 Braiden kicked the 3 points. (0-6)

Ipswich were still playing the more positive and again found themselves inside the Romford half, this time Romford were penalised for being offside on the edge of the 22, No9 Sam Corston slotted the kick for 3 points (3-6).

With 10 minutes to play before halftime Ipswich took the lead, the forwards and backs linking well forcing Romford to give away a lineout inside the 22.
Ipswich caught and drove on before releasing for 2 quick phases of play before No7 Louis Pentelow picked up dived across the line on the left of the field.
Sam Corston missed with the conversion. (8-6)

From the restart, Ipswich again enjoying the possession inside the Romford half and being awarded a penalty for hands in the ruck, Ipswich opted for a 5 metre lineout. A catch and drive allowed Captain Alex Primmer to cross the line and touch down. Sam Corston missed the conversion. (13-6).

Halftime: Ipswich 13 Romford & Gidea Park 6.

From the restart kicked long this with the favourable strong cross-wind, Ipswich managed to steal a Romford lineout releasing to the backs to make inroads into the Romford 22. The Romford forwards again strayed offside and the referee indicated advantage the ball was passed back to Sam Corston to drop goal in front of the posts to increase the lead. (16-6).

With 12 minutes of the second half played Ipswich went further ahead, when again from early pressure a scrum was awarded, the Ipswich pack secured the ball for scrumhalf Whanuahou to pick up and dummy pass before diving across the tryline by the posts. Sam Corston converted. (23-6).

Ipswich continued to play some of the best rugby we’ve seen this season at Humber Doucy Lane, but were unable to convert the pressure into more points.
Romford on the other hand adopted to a damage limitation game of forcing long kicks rucking ball, and on the stroke of 30 minutes after 3 first up missed tackles by the host defence Romford backs were allowed to jink and dance across the tryline in the left corner. The conversion was missed. (23-11).

Romford now playing with more hope went straight back on the attack and within 5 minutes of the restart found themselves mauling there way into the Ipswich 22 and crossing the tryline in the right corner, again the conversion was missed. (23-18).

Immediately from the restart Romford repeated the attack and from a 5 metre scrum forced their way over the line again in the right corner for the try. No 9 Braiden missed the conversion. (23-23).

The last 2 minutes were played with Ipswich trying to rescue the game and tempers flew at a lineout on the halfway line between both sets of forwards, for some bizarre reason in a moment of madness Ipswich wing Jermaine Watson ran from his opposite wing to join the scuffle, leaving the referee no choice but to show him the red card.

Full time: Ipswich 23 Romford & Gidea Park 23.

Aaron Brown was delighted with the first 70 minutes of this game which was complete turnaround from the previous weeks game.
There was some brilliant rugby played in very difficult conditions. That said we must learn to kill these games off and not allow the opposition to come back like Romford did. We will work on this but there were more positives than negatives.
Ipswich do not have a game next week.

The rest of the day's results were -

BRAINTREE 13 - 0 SUDBURY

CHELMSFORD 0 - 26 SAFFRON WALDEN

MERSEA ISL 10 - 0 HARLOW

NORWICH 7 - 14 ENFIELD IGN

THURROCK 22 - 0 COLCHESTER