Ipswich does the double over second placed Sudbury with an emphatic victory continuing the winning momentum.

Ipswich kicked off facing the sun on a flat firm pitch, best suiting the Ipswich’s style of rugby taking the game to the home side.
Deep in the Sudbury half the hosts were penalised for diving over the ruck. Sam Corston kicked the easy 3 points (0 – 3)

From the restart Sudbury went on the attack and the scores were equalled when the referee penalised Ipswich for not releasing the tackler 30 metres from the posts, with only 7 minutes of play on the clock.  The Sudbury fullback kicked well between the uprights. (3 – 3).

Ipswich started applying the more aggressive pressure and only unforced errors prevented any scores, however on 18 minutes of play the breakthrough came.
From a long kick and chase the Sudbury defence were forced to put the ball into touch, from the resulting lineout the ball was moved out to the backs at pace allowing Corston to offload to fullback Ryan Potkins to finish off the move left of the posts. Corston missed the conversion. (3 – 8).

Against the run of play Sudbury launched an attack and some woeful first up tackles from a scrum allowed Sudbury to run in a try in far right corner.

The fullback failed with the conversion. (8 – 8)

Immediately Ipswich went back on the attack running the ball between backs and forwards, after 3 phases the ball was set up for Joseland on the right wing to draw the tackler, before offloading with the sweetest back pass to the supporting winger Tim Hopkins to show his pace and finish off a well worked try. Corston was well wide with the conversion. (8 - 13).

Halftime: Sudbury 8 Ipswich 13

Sudbury kicked off and gained possession though an Ipswich knock-on, the ball was recycled and again missed first up tackles allowed the Sudbury centre to run unchallenged under the posts with only 1 ½ minutes of the second half played. The Sudbury fullback converted for the extra 2 points. (15 – 13).

Ipswich then stepped up the pace not wanting this game to slip from their clutches; only desperate tackling and illegal play prevented any score.
After 9 minutes of play and sustained pressure by Ipswich deep in the Sudbury half, the referee lost patience with the Sudbury defence deliberately killing the ball and issued a yellow card. Sam Corston slotted the penalty kick to put Ipswich back into the lead. (15 – 16).

Ipswich now enjoyed the free running game playing deep in the Sudbury half, again illegal play outside the 22 saw the referee award a second yellow card this time to Sudbury No5 for not rolling away. From the penalty and lineout the ball was recycled to the backs when replacement centre Jono sidestepped his opposite number and ran in under the posts to increase the lead. Corston converted. (15 – 23).

After several scoring chances the next score came just 2 minute before fulltime, again from an Ipswich lineout 30 metres out from the tryline, a set move saw Jono again collect the ball at pace on a perfect angle leaving the Sudbury defence in disarray and scoring under the posts. Corston again converted for the extra 2 points.
(15 – 30).

Final score: Sudbury 15 Ipswich 30.

Ipswich Head Coach Aaron Brown was delighted with overall team performance and competitive attitude towards this game.
The pitch obviously suited our playing style and demonstrated what we can achieve when totally focused.
Man of the Match was awarded to Fullback Ryan Potkins.

The rest of the wekend's results were -

BRAINTREE 17 - 15 MERSEA ISLAND

ENFIELD IGNS 11 - 18 COLCHESTER

HARLOW 22 - 08 NORWICH

ROMFORD & GP 34 - 25 CHELMSFORD