... MATCH REPORT
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Ipswich Rhinos 32- 6 Cambridge Eagles
16th June 2001
"RHINOS TITLE CHARGE GATHERS PACE"
The pride of East Anglia improved on the opening day 10-16 win over the Eagles to land their first double of the summer. Talk of league titles is banned in the dressing room pre match, but the Clubhouse was abuzz after the game with players swarming around the big screenTelevision to see how nearest rivals Norfolk had got on via Teletext. In the event Norfolk`s nailbiting 34-36 win at St Albans emphasized the fact that Ipswich will have to concentrate on their own game, winning all remaining Eastern fixtures and needing to get a result in either of the crossover matches at Oxford or West London to win the division. In a barnstorming first half Ipswich ran in five unanswered tries and three conversions to lead 26-0 at the interval.
Cambridge emerged from this game with a lot of credit, proving difficult opponents and making Ipswich work for every point. After Ipswich`s first half try feast the visitors all but shut out the Rhinos defensively in the second half with both sides scoring a converted try apiece in near monsoon conditions. New Zealander Evan Player was having his last game for the Rhinos before taking up a job in the North West. With several key squad members unavailable including Mike Reeves, Julian Gray and Paul Roberts, Ipswich had sufficient strength in depth to blood two new players and recall Lee Haylock, Lee Birch, Andy Wilson and Andy Windridge. Wilson was on hand early on to present problems with two forceful drives into Cambridge`s defence. The Rhinos piled on the early pressure with Richard Pollard and hooker Vaughan Evans probing the Cambridge line. With the overlap exploited, New Captain loose forward Shaun Griffin came into the line and his flying pass put Benson Ho clear for the opening try in the corner.
Young Joe Francis from Harwich was one of the newcomers to the side and he was given a potentially demanding role in the centres partnering Glyn Thomas. Any doubts were quickly dispelled when he was put into space from a quick scrum feed just inside the Cambridge half. He easily shrugged off and sidestepped would be tacklers before outpacing cover players for a fine individual debut try. Pete Le Marquand playing at stand off and in good form with the boot lately, added the conversion. Although still not completing full sets of six attacks when in possession, Ipswich were dominating the game with hooker Evans excelling and spraying the ball all about the field. He released Haylock whose bullocking run split the Eagles line leading to a penalty for offside. From the tap, Windridge was sent clear to score from close range. With the Ipswich completion rate improving all the time there were opportunities to pin back the defence with last tackle kicks which Pollard did with aplomb.
Another good build up marshalled from dummy half by Evans gave Birch an easy task of scoring in the corner. Any Cambridge pressure was being soaked up by the Ipswich tacklers, while kicks were fielded by full back Paul Le Marquand and Pollard setting up returns by Adam Butterworth and Ho. Daren Henry at Prop, laid out in the last game at Bedford had an injury free return to action and caught the eye with a number of strong first half drives. Another youngster Brendan Cooke was enjoying his first home match after a lively debut at Bedford coming into the forwards as a first half sub along with Noel Griffiths . A new feature of the summer conference season has been the poor standard of refereeing in contrast to recent seasons when top appointments had been made.
Mr Andy Howe from Bridlington helped to reverse that statistic on Saturday keeping a good rein on the players and generally allowing the game to flow. Coach Dave Mortimer has been crying out this season-along with the spectators- for the officials to “let the Players play”. Ipswich`s first half blitz was completed by a move started and finished by scrum half Pollard. Sean Griffin made a break from the base of the scrum before Evans released Francis who set off on another elusive jinking run before freeing Pollard to turn his marker and wriggle over for the try. Pete Le Marquand`s third conversion made it 26-0 at the interval.
The first half had been far from one-sided -despite the scoreline- with Cambridge playing their part in an entertaining game but the Ipswich defence matched the attack and worked hard to keep the Eagles out of the danger areas of play. With the game safe Ipswich set about wearing down their opponents in the second half. Cambridge however had different ideas and as the heavens opened, both sides launched wave after wave of attacks and with defences on top the game was played out with neither side able to get on top. It must have been a relief for players used to matches on arid “good to firm” surfaces to find themselves playing on a paddy field with surface water all over the centre of the pitch.
The rain finally stopped ten minutes from time and Ipswich`s Pete Le Marquand finally broke the deadlock with a late try followed by his fourth conversion of the day. But the second half belonged to Bedford who were rewarded for their endeavour with a late try from winger Dan Littlejohn who barged his way over to score after a good handling move. Stand off Dylan Jones added the conversion to end an entertaining match. With a rest week built into the season next weekend to allow for Conference representative matches, Ipswich have an extra week to prepare for the next home match at Humber Doucy Lane when St Albans are the visitors on Saturday 30th June.
IPSWICH TEAM: Paul Le Marquand, Adam Butterworth,Glyn Thomas, Jo Francis, Benson Ho, Pete Le Marquand, Richard Pollard, Andy Wilson, Vaughan Evans, Daren Henry, Lee Haylock, Andy Windridge , Shaun Griffin, Brendan Cooke, Evan Player, Lee Birch, Noel Griffiths.