This last League match of 2017/18 re-acquainted contestants from the first; the tight 5-5 draw in torrential rain and lightning at Ely. A packed, sunny Woodbridge crowd saw its home team start positively, flankers Matt Bowman and Aldis Salavejs forcing Ely fly-half Ryan Clark to clear. Full back Angus Clogg missed a penalty attempt before Ely centre Tom Jackson had a darting run up the wing and Lory Martin centre pitch. The Warriors moved the ball wide, Clogg, Bowman and James Porter bashing defenders Martin, Nathan Brooks and Jacob Muncey. Adam Plummer offloaded to lock Dan Knights who dummied, broke a tackle and scored. Ely immediately resumed the attack forcing Clogg and Hart to clear repeatedly until they secured a line-out, the forwards mauled to draw defenders and the ball was snapped cross-field for Ryan Rampling to step in and score. Ely No8 Harry Rogerson and Muncey put in a great run to take play to the home 22 where a quick penalty saw John Dibb score. A few well worked moves from the Ely backs and Muncey was launched again into the Warrior 22 for Rogerson to get the try. Woodbridge restarted with a penalty on the Ely 5m line, a strong maul and Salavejs tumbled over to just squeeze in a wide try.

Early gains by Woodbridge were stolen by swift running from Brooks and Martin only to be penalised at the line-out from which Bowman squandered a speedy 40m dash by back-passing blind to no-one. Ely full-back Matt McCarthy took advantage, sprinted to mid field and consolidated the gain through Scott-Paul who picked up deep and ran 60m to score in the corner. From a penalty it was Brooks again as the Warriors tackled tenaciously. A scrum on halfway delivered good ball to the big figure of Muncey who straightened up, held off Clogg and thundered half the pitch to score. Woodbridge resumed pressure but were held at bay until Ely gradually edged play into the home half. Salavejs put in some useful runs, fed by busy scrum half Taff Lloyd, as did Jeff Buchanan and Porter but Ely were the sharper, always looking dangerous they camped in the Warrior’s 22 for repeated penalties denying Woodbridge space to snatch the win.

Southwold had a big objective for this late season bash – a big bonus point victory to set them up for a League win. Woodbridge, solid at 6^th, fancied spoiling this. An early line-out steal showed Southwold’s intent as their first attack was countered by some crunching hits from Matt Bowman, Tom Stokes and Angus Clogg who over-kicked for territory on the small pitch. A mid-field scrum saw centre Ollie Carlstroem draw the defence and wing Jacob English score. Despite conceding too many penalties Woodbridge pressed up-field for Clogg to miss a penalty attempt before being pressurised under a long ball from fly-half Callum Anthony as both side tried to play in the opposition end. Woodbridge resisted a long period of assault in its own 22 only to lose the clearance line-out as Southwold regained the upper hand only to forfeit a penalty and lose a player in the ruck. Clogg took the three points. The restart scrum released backs Cemil Duruk, Carlstroem and English across field where the forwards mauled over and wild-haired Desmond Brett scored.

Woodbridge restarted under pressure Jono Cooke trying to charge out of trouble but a long pass from Anthony to the left wing took play to the visitor’s 22 where they rebuffed repeated pick-and-drives for fly-half JP Hart to clear. Clogg took another three points into the wind after a frenetic series of Woodbridge charges from Jeff Buchanan, Luke Wattam and Clogg. Southwold renewed the assault, returning to the Woodbridge 22 where their free-running backs moved from wing to wing before centre Duruk battered his way over. Another high tackle took the Warriors to 14 men as they won a scrum in the home 22 and thumped up field through Adam Plummer, James Porter and Ed Banthorpe. Southwold recovered with hooker James Hill making a great run supported by No8 Dom Hill. A Woodbridge scrum deep in their 22 was pounced upon and left wing James Barton scored out wide. With the bonus point secured it was left to Jacob English to add another seven points and set Southwold up as deserved joint league leaders with Stowmarket both with a match in hand.

Southwold 33 v Woodbridge Warriors 6

With Woodbridge 6^th in the League and Crusaders 10th the bookies would have been surprised at the tight first half an hour of this match. Both these teams, long time friendly foes, made mistakes early on. Woodbridge was the worst culprit with too many penalties and errors at the set piece. Crusaders No8 Robert Dye was energetic in attack as was centre Greg Thurston – pressing from deep with full back Ryan Harris. Play oscillated between 22s with both defences tested and suffering from the breeze disrupting throw-ins, some poor kicks and sloppy off sides. Crusaders looked sharpest in the first stages gaining the most territory but Woodbridge No8 Aldis Salavejs was sprightly from the scrum and his back row colleagues James Porter and Matt Bowman challenged Crus 5m line. Penalties reduced Woodbridge to 14 men and Crusaders mauled in the home 22 from which full back Harris snaffled and scored wide to break the impasse. This startled the Warriors into life and within minutes they had a corresponding scrum from which Salavejs darted over to score. The restart set Woodbridge up again, this time it was a scrum outside the 22 and fast ball through Bowman, centre Luke Wattam to wing James Stickley and a try.

The second half started like the first with the teams testing each other’s defences but couldn’t finish. Woodbridge challenged but despite moving from touchline to touchline spent so long that an error was inevitable. The penalties kept coming for both sides, compounded by bent throw-ins and scrum infringements until Bowman found some space supported by Tim Johnson, Jono Cooke and energetic fly half JP Hart. Sadly Johnson drew the penalty when isolated. Woodbridge stayed up, using their runners, Jamie Smith, Hart, Bowman and Clogg until the sustained duress was rewarded as Salavejs scored his second. The Crusaders forwards and hard-working scrum half Rob Loone clearly took a dim view and stepped-up the scrum to oppress with first a held-up try and then a sweet feed from the back to Harris running a great line to score. It wasn’t over though, with minutes left Cru’s kept up the fight – another scrum penalty, a line-out and prop Henry Joy was over for Loone to kick and, deservedly, level the score.