Ipswich YM started this local derby in fiery form, establishing a platform in the Woodbridge half early on from where Keiran Rudland and Jack Coomber galloped cross-field into the 22 to wake everyone up. Woodbridge held on and cleared through a Jack Johnson run and YM knock on. With play now in the home half Woodbridge a good scrum saw YM Ben Coomber pass back to Thomas Coulter who was pounced on by fast advancing Warriors. This happened again as play stayed nervously mid-pitch and both sides made errors, including a missed penalty kick from Warrior Jack Johnson. Woodbridge expanded their attack with a long pass wide and kick-through from full back Jamie Smith who was stopped in the chase and YM mauled out of immediate danger, No 8 Adam Sawyer off-loaded but fly half Tom Hale’s clearance went straight out. A line out yielded another Woodbridge missed penalty attempt but they were rampant and fast ball to Smith saw him score after an arcing sprint.
The Warriors continued energetically; they turned over a line-out, scrum half Adam Plummer and prop Billy King made runs and No 10 JP Hart and Johnson peppered the YM 22 with kicks until another penalty let Johnson take three points. It was time for YM to attack. Lock Rudland stole at the ruck and stampeded through, spinning the ball wide to full back Robert Owen to threaten. A sustained onslaught ensued, YM’s forwards led by Capt Ben Hockley exploited breakdown after breakdown, picking and driving until a penalty gave Owen three points. Woodbridge camped in the Ipswich 22 until halftime at 3-8.
Warrior prop Simon Codd put in a storming charge and Johnson punched the ball into the YM 22 to set the theme for the second half. A Woodbridge scrum stole possession to relight the assault through Smith and Hart against Sawyer, Andy Gostling and Tristram Gladwell defending tenaciously in their 22. The next offensive was started by a cracking kick from Hart for a touch halfway down YMs 22. Some hard work and fast hands from wing Simon Ward ended with Jamie Smith getting a high speed diving try in the extreme corner. Johnson’s and Hart’s boots continued to keep Owen and Hale busy and the chase stopped them on the 22. Woodbridge’s scrum was picked up for binding and YM centre Corey Parfit put in a blistering diagonal run setting up a sustained blitz from which Capt Hockley scored to give the home crowd hope. It was the Warriors though that built a raid on the home try line, swinging play back and forth Jono Cooke, Ed Berridge, Dan Taylor and Olly Gray notable among those trying to punch through. It was Dan Bond that eventually found the gap and scored. Woodbridge kept the pressure on despite the 14 point gap, rucking aggressively and losing Nick Woodley to enthusiasm. With a man down the Warriors must have thought the last ten minutes would be about defence. Then a clearance kick from Owen was caught by flanker Bond on his own 10m line. He bolted 60m down the right wing, without need of his support runners, to score and kick off unrestrained celebration from the large posse of travelling Woodbridge supporters.
http://www.eadt.co.uk/sport/smith_grabs_a_brace_as_warriors_see_off_local_rivals_ym_in_fiery_derby_1_4898044
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