A disappointing Saturday at Mersea Island RFC

After several phone calls in the week and early Saturday morning, Ipswich were told the pitch was playable; loaded up the coach and set off at 10:30hrs to ensure beating the high tide and getting onto the island at 11:45hrs.

With only the groundstaff at the premises, a quick inspection of the pitch found the whole width from the goal area through to the 22 metre line at one end in standing water.
With a steady drizzle and a forecasted heavy rain before the afternoon kick-off, it was obvious that the efforts of the groundstaff to brush the water off the field was never going to be enough to improve safe playing conditions.

When the host players arrived the Mersea Island captain along with Ipswich captain Alex Primmer discussed the pitch conditions with the referee and the likelihood of the game starting. After only a short time it was agreed by all parties that the pitch was not safe to play.

Both teams then retired to the Fox Public House on the island to await low tide and the coach trip home.
This fixture will now be played on Saturday 13^th March 2010.

Ipswich having not played since 12th December will be making every effort to get the waterlogged home pitch ready for next Saturdays game to Braintree.
Let’s hope the weather will be kind to us and we can play some rugby.

The rest of the weekend's results were -

BRAINTREE 25 - 20 NORWICH

ENFIELD IGNS 6 - 13 THURROCK

HARLOW 20 - 15 COLCHESTER

ROMFORD & GP 5 - 37 SAFFRON WALDEN

SUDBURY 7 - 5 CHELMSFORD