Ipswich Rhinos Rugby League Club


	South Norfolk vs Ipswich 8th July 2000 South Norfolk 22 - 12 Ipswich DERBY DAY WOE FOR IPSWICH In a fierce keenly contested East Anglian derby, South Norfolk took the local honours thus preventing their opponents from recording what would have been a fourth successive derby win. South Norfolk are now four points clear in second place of St Albans and need one point from their remaining two games to secure a play off place.

	The Saint`s remaining two matches - against North London in a crossover game and Eastern leaders Hemel - are far from easy tasks. Ironically it could fall to their fierce but friendly rivals Ipswich Rhinos to beat St Albans at Rushmere on the last day of the regular season on July 22nd to see them through to the play offs. This thrilling encounter lived up to its match of the day billing in a frantic first half which produced a five tries and a remarkable further four disallowed tries. The "classic" tag did not last into the second period as both sides succumbed to fatigue producing an error strewn finale where neither side could make superiority count. After the mandatory probing of defences by both sides Saints had gone into the lead on ten minutes when Sands burrowed his way through a sea of Ipswich legs to cross the line.

	Ipswich roared back into the match when loose forward Glyndwr Thomas weaved his way through the defence to score out wide. Pete Le Marquand kicked a difficult conversion to give the visitors the lead 4-6. Thomas repeated the feat with a carbon copy try just three minutes later again going in out wide. Le Marquand could not improve the angle with his kick and Ipswich led 4-10 on 16 minutes. Ipswich missed the opportunity to increase their lead when winger Dave Flaherty found space to dive over in the corner, a last ditch tackle was adjudged to have put his leg into the corner flag before scoring. Daren Page suffered a similar fate running to the line on the other wing before being bundled into touch on the tryline. Matt Scott got on the end of a South Norfolk break to score a legitimate try leveling the scores. Hooker Paul Lumley converted to regain the lead and South Norfolk were not headed again in the match. Centre Aidan Brand roared through on 31 minutes for a try converted by Lumley to give the home side a 16-10 lead. There was still time for Saints to have a try disallowed when the ball was ruled lost in the tackle.Ipswich must have known it was not going to be their day when hooker Tom Evans-Jones broke clear of the defence only to have his effort ruled out when the referee partially unsighted agreed with appeals that the Welsh Exiles RU under 21 trialist had not grounded the ball for the third disallowed Ipswich "try" of the half.

	An infringement during an Ipswich attack allowed Le Marquand to reduce South Norfolk`s lead to just four points with a penalty goal at the end of the half. The sides had literally run each other ragged in the first period and both struggled to complete sets of six throughout the second half. In a game of cat and mouse Ipswich fought without success to steal the game South Norfolk struck on fifty two minutes with Brands second try of the> encounter converted by Lumley giving Saints a 22-12 lead.

	Despite enjoying a clear 70 percent of second half possession, Ipswich with the best efforts coming from half backs Richard Pollard and Paul Thurston could not breakdown South Norfolk`s well drilled defence. Some gutsy defending by both sides ensured the rest of the half remained scoreless with Forward Adam Menz shining on his Ipswich debut. At the final whistle Ipswich were left to rue three narrow try decisions but the quality of Norfolk defence and counter attack in the second half had deservedly earned them the derby day spoils. The result meant both derby matches this year had been settled by 10 point margins and the series now stands at 3 wins each. Ipswich scorers: Tries: Thomas (2) Conversion: Pete Le Marquand Penalty: Pete Le Marquand South Norfolk scorers: Tries: Brand, Scott, Sands Conversions: Lumley (3) (Pictures courtesy of EDP)
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