Woodbridge traveled to meet an opponent they hadn’t faced for some time as Beccles played in London 3 last season. The opening skirmishes showed that the home team was keen to put last week’s 26-7 loss to Ipswich YM behind them. Early pressure won Beccles scrum half Jake Yeowell a penalty but Woodbridge came straight back with an attacking line out and penalty in Beccles 22 from which Jack Johnson leveled the score.

Woodbridge immediately renewed the attack, fly half JP Hart gained 20m with a jinking run back into the host’s end with Johnson and Captain Tom Stokes in support. A scrum saw the first of many great shoves from the visitors. With the set pieces giving him reliable possession Hart kicked long for the chasing Johnson to retrieve, dodge some desultory tackles and score.

A maul penalty gave the Warriors some brief respite from renewed Beccles pressure but a repeat infringement gave Yeowell another 3 points. Some great forward play followed with both sides being frustrated in attack despite some dogged rucking from back rows; Nick Woodley and Ed Berridge standing out for Woodbridge and Darren Fisher for Beccles. Prop Simon Codd and his flanker Woodley punctured the home defence only for full back Jamie Smith to be bundled out of play. The clearance was stifled by Berridge who kept the pressure on with forward support and the scrum delivered up more Warrior ball this time to Stokes who ran through a stretched defence to score.

Penalties from both sides rounded the half off at 9-20 with Woodbridge having dominated possession.

The visitors started strongly – Johnson took another 3 points. Warriors dominance in the scrum saw Beccles on the back foot relying on Yeowell’s boot however missed touches only reloaded the attack as Johnson’s long boot was the measure of Yeowells. The pressure rewarded Woodley with a try after he, Johnson and Stokes had led another of many assaults from a scrum in the Beccles 22.

Warrior defence held firm with Hart finding some enormous kicks to keep the home team pinned in its half despite some strong runs from full back Stuart and Cameron Armstrong with the hard-working Yeowell who became more adventurous as his frustration increased. Warrior No 8 Jono Cooke had a couple of fine carries as did Richard Clark before the ball was spun wide to winger Taff Lloyd who failed to reach his long chip-chase in goal. Woodbridge were still enjoying most possession and territory but were being denied by Beccles’ defence until Johnson, Berridge and Woodley connected to get Sam Hallows a well-deserved try.

In one of only five visits to the Warrior half Beccles failed to score despite being a metre short and the counter attack saw Ed Burridge run in unopposed to seal the bonus point win and put Woodbridge second in the table.

Woodbridge Warriors 21 v Thurston 0

A good start from the visitors saw them quickly up to the home 22 only to concede a penalty from a well-executed Woodbridge scrum. Both fly halfs then kicked for territory – Thurston’s Alex Lee against JP Hart who found touch for Dan Bond to win the line out and set flanker Nick Woodley off for the first of many gallops down field. Supported by the stocky, powerful Tony Moseley the Warriors breached Thurston’s 22 where scrum half Adam Plummer passed wide to No 8 Ed Berridge who scored at 10 minutes to the delight of the home crowd.

Berridge, clearly motivated by the score, featured immediately at the restart, carrying from the scrum to renew the attack only for poor hands to concede a scrum from which Lee grubbed long into the home 22 where winger George Cawston took up the charge. Woodbridge scrambled back to defend as Thurston full back Jason Post continued to press and forced an offside penalty. The resulting line out renewed the pressure, Thurston attacking all along the home try line, Rich Pearson and his front row winning penalties and making the Warriors sweat to keep them out. Eventually an interception started a counter attack up to halfway, David Price much in evidence, where play remained with both sides kicking to force the error. Another good scrum from Woodbridge gave them sound possession and the ball moved quickly out despite rapid Thurston line speed and first rate counter-rucking. A penalty for holding on reset the Warrior forwards to assault the Thurston goal line several times before the beacon of leadership; Captain Tom Stokes broke it to score the second try on the half hour.

Thurston put in another concerted attack from the off which the hosts survived through another interception by wing Taff Lloyd. Both sides missed touch kicks and ran from deep, Moseley putting in an excellent charge for Woodbridge before the break.

Thurston failed to consolidate an early opportunity on the Warrior’s 5m after a handling error allowed Woodbridge to launch a few runs from midfield although moves on both wings were thwarted by poor passing or forward passes. Thurston’s forwards were their preferred weapon and they carried well; back row Fraser, James and Paxman picking and driving to draw in defenders and win penalties. Second row Rich Pearson worked hard with his pack as Thurston had a prolonged period camping on the Woodbridge try line where it seemed astounding that they didn’t score despite a 5m scrum. Determined defence eventually gave the Warriors a clearance kick upfield where Berridge put in a commanding run for prop Ritchie Clark to score against the run of play.

Thurston maintained the pressure from the restart, centre Harvey Taylor looking dangerous as both sides started to kick, Thurston particularly preferring to keep it in their forwards or kick rather than stretch their backs. The Warriors seemed to have the upper hand. Hart kept the aerial pressure on and benefitted from three knock-ons giving field position to his scrum.  There was nearly a debut try for Warrior winger Lewis Jacobs and another inventive grub kick chase from Hart and Woodley. Thurston Hooker Matt Ansell made 20 metres with a jinking, unopposed midfield carry into the hosts 22 backed up by his pack and Woodbridge were forced to defend again. Reliable Hart cleared up field and the game ended with Tim Johnson and Simon Codd leading the forwards for one last attempt for the bonus point which Thurston resisted up to the whistle. The match was a good season opener for the Warriors although the score-line hides a strong performance from Thurston.