Impressive Ipswich run in the tries

Ipswich completed their three match pre-season programme with a 38pts to 5 (6 tries to 1) win in match against a Bury St Edmunds XV which was fiercely competitive and at times fractious, illustrating that this was anything but a light work out for both sides.

The first 10 minutes was evenly contested and saw Ipswich at the end of a 1-5 penalty count due to inaccuracy at the breakdown which never enabled a foothold in the game, with Bury playing a gradually more expansive style of play.

The deadlock was broken after 9 minutes when centre Tim Mann made a strong line break on half way and left winger Luke Uru took the inside pass in support and raced under the post for the first score, duly converted by skipper Corey Button to give the home side a 7 nil advantage.

Ten minutes later the visitors hit back with a well-earned try after sustained pressure that was unconverted to bring the margin between the teams back to 2 points.

With improved discipline at the breakdown Ipswich started to dominate possession and territory and were rewarded with a sparkling individual try by returnee Will Davis in the left hand corner to give the hosts a 12-7 interval lead.

4 minutes into the second half Davis scored his second try of the afternoon, and in the 64th minute back rower Sam Goodwin made an incisive line break 22 metres out to score unopposed under the posts, from which Button added the conversion shot.

The last 15 minutes of the game became disjointed from both sides as tempers rose and technical ability dropped, but Head Coach Jim Clark would be pleased that further tries by Jermaine Watson on 70 minutes and another by returnee Chris Kolapo finishing off a great handling effort in the right corner in the last minute of the game were made, both converted by Button.

The final score stood 38pts to 5 to the hosts, in which the stern Ipswich defence kept their own line intact for 61 minutes, an area that the coaching staff have identified as a work on for the forthcoming season.

After conceding 5 penalties in the first 10 minutes, discipline improved with the target of no more than 10 not exceeded for the whole game.

As well as participating in the club memorial match next Saturday (4th September) the squad now will face 2 weeks intense training before leading up to the commencement of the League programme on Saturday 18th September as follows:

First Team: v West Norfolk (H) KO 3PM London 2 North East.
Magpies: v Hadliegh (A) KO 3PM Eastern Counties 1 South.
3rd XV: v Mersea (A) KO 3PM Eastern Counties 2 South.