Winning league return for the Scorpions

Ipswich welcomed Southwold to a sunny but breezy Humber Doucy Lane on Sunday as both teams kicked of their National Challenge 2 league season. Ipswich struck hard and fast with Emma West retuning from injury to run the ball from Ipswich’s half down the wing to score in the corner. Ipswich pushed hard in the restart and were awarded their 1st of many penalties for a high tackle which Lauren Howard punched through the sticks to gain the 3points.

Southwold's experience and dominance in the forwards disrupted the home team throughout the game with Ipswich unable to secure a lot of their own ball and the experience of the Southwold pack punished Ipswich in basic areas of the game.

The next score came as Ipswich settled in to their distinctive off loading game with Captain Jess McLean making consistent valuable metres to break the gain line for Ipswich’s Ellie Isaac battling through the remaining pack before breaking 2 more tackles in the backs to score under the posts for Howard to convert, 10-0.

The next 2 scores were for the visitors. Moving the ball around the pitch and with strong ball carries, the hosts battled to slow their momentum. With forward of the match Harriet Walachowski off having received an eye injury making one of her trademark ball steals, Ipswich shifted in to plug the gaps caused by Southwold’s relentless drives and Southwold broke down the wing to score a converted try.

However they had to work hard for their 2nd with the Scorpions line now going forward to shut the visitors down the Southwold backs, with players in their 1st senior game having followed Southold’s player pathway, wouldn’t get much more chance on the ball. But this suited the visitors as they recycled their own ball quickly and efficiently to score their last try of the game.

With the hosts now pressurising Southwold at the fringes of the breakdowns Front row player Heather Welham formed a link to the backs passing the ball out for Isaac to score her 2nd.

Ipswich now had a taste for disruption and upped the pressure on Southwold, making the tackles count and with Michaela Taylor claiming any lose ball McLean was able to scoot the ball out easily for EJ Stearn, stepping in after injuries reduced Ipswich to 14 to score the final 10 points with Howard’s boot defying the wind to bring the final score to 34-12, making it 5 wins out of 5 games for Ipswich’s Senior squads this weekend.

This game was destined to be a learning curve for the home team with Southwold exploiting areas that had not been previously tested in previous friendly matches. The Scorpions were schooled by some seasoned players and will take valuable lessons in to their next game in 2 weeks time.

Report by coach EJ Stearn