Magpies return to top of the table

Ipswich Magpies returned to the top of Eastern Counties One South in what turned out to be an emphatic victory against a determined Brightlingsea team away in Essex.

The home side played some good rugby in the opening ten minutes of the game scoring two tries and leading by 10 points to 5, with the Magpies not able to build any continuity or pressure.

However in in the fourteenth minute James Shipp scored his first try of the afternoon and put the Ipswich side in the lead for the first time, and this triggered off a different degree of intensity and skill level for the remainder of the match.

Josh Brooke continued his progress at this level by expertly finishing off a further two tries to add to his two earlier efforts and Shipp added another, therefore both wingers scoring the six first half tries to give the Magpies a thirty six points to ten half time lead.

Within two minutes of the restart Brooke scored his fifth try which was converted by Dewi Llewellyn to stretch the lead further to forty three points to ten.

Brightlingsea continued to work hard in both attack and defence, however further tries by Tom Ives, skipper Mark Burch, interchange back Charlie Dunn and Josh Brooke (again!) completed the scoring.

The final score of sixty seven points to ten was not a reflection of the effort and application made by the Brightlingsea side, but more of the speed and intensity of the Magpies after scoring their third try and taking the lead for the first time.

Aside from the attacking efforts the coaching staff will be pleased that despite some pressure the Magpies kept their line intact for sixty seven minutes.

The Magpies return to Essex next Saturday 30th October for an away match versus Braintree II kicking off at 3pm.

MAGPIES SCORERS:
TRIES: Brooke 6, Shipp 2, T.Ives 1, Burch 1, Dunn
CONVERSIONS: Llewelyn 5, Brooke 1.