Ipswich YM 33 Wymondham 22

This was the game that the YM have been threatening to play since mid-December, when the first signs of their recovery began to show; at last the improvements in tackling, passing, kicking and above all, decision-making resulted in a superb performance which left a shell-shocked Wymondham, seven league places above their hosts before the match, wondering what had happened.

But it could all have been so different. Kicking off on another fine, dry, still afternoon, perfect for running rugby, Wymondham raced onto a 10 – 0 lead before their hosts had seemingly woken up, and another heavy defeat for the YM looked likely. This early reverse, though, spurred them into action, and they came alive, scoring 26 unanswered points.

The strong Wymondham pack dominated the scrums and more than held its own in the line outs, choosing to try to maul possession after the tackle, a tactic that was only partially successful. By contrast the YM’s rucking and rapid recycling of the ball was one of the keys to their victory, and often moves saw the ball pass swiftly through several pairs of hands, both backs and forwards.

For those YM faithful on the touchline who had endured a winter of defeats, to see their team playing with such confidence - and success - was a real tonic; Carlton Ford started the scoring by finishing off a sweeping move with a diagonal run for a try under the posts, and immediately afterwards the YM camped deep in the Wymondham 22, recycling possession through several phases before Jack Hale scored wide out on the left to give the hosts a half-time lead, which they extended immediately after the restart with two rapid tries, effectively putting the game beyond the visitors’ reach.

Wymondham did rally briefly, scoring again after a slick scissors move in the centre, but the YM were able to respond, James Everson finishing off another sweeping move, with a try out to the left, converted by Rob Owen, who again had kicked almost faultlessly, converting four of the YM’s five tries.

A defensive mix-up gave Wymondham a 5-metre scrum, from which they again crossed the line, ensuring that both sides gained a bonus point. There was no further scoring, but it is a measure of the YM’s improvement that they were back on the attack, looking to extend their lead, when the final whistle was blown.