Wisbech is up and running with Lakenham Union victory in Counties 2 Eastern Counties

Wisbech had to dig deep to claim a 17-5 victory over Lakenham Union in Counties 2 Eastern Counties on Saturday.

After the game at Harecroft Road, Wisbech’s director of rugby, Leonard Veenendaal, admitted his side fell short of their best.

Veenendaal said: “We weren’t accurate enough today. The continued high tackle count and poor discipline at the breakdown cost us dearly,” he said.

“We had several opportunities to execute plays, but too often we either dropped the ball or were guilty of technical infringements. "So from that point of view, there’s a valuable lesson in just how accurate you need to be at this level.

"But I think one positive to take from the match is the squad’s ability to stay in the fight, they never threw the towel in, and that resilience is something we can build on.”

The Men in Red made a dream start, striking within two minutes.

No 8 Hal Whyatt powered through after a sharp exchange with James Napier, finishing under the posts to give Wisbech a 7-0 lead following skipper Jack Malkin’s conversion.

But the early momentum soon faded as the visitors from Norwich grew into the game.

Wisbech’s discipline wavered, and after Adam Bunton and Luca Hardy were sent to the sin bin in quick succession, Lakenham capitalised.

Sustained pressure eventually brought them a try in the corner, though the missed conversion left Wisbech narrowly ahead at 7-5.

As half-time approached, Wisbech steadied themselves.

Their defensive resolve kept Lakenham at bay, and they were rewarded when Malkin slotted a penalty to stretch the lead to 10-5 at the break.

The second half continued in the same vein, tight, physical and error-strewn.

Both sides battled for territory, with Lakenham buoyed by a mounting Wisbech penalty count.

But the breakthrough came from a moment of quality. Nathaniel Humphreys’ powerful carry opened space for Napier, whose deft footwork released winger Rory Willis.

The right-winger finished smartly in the corner, and Malkin’s excellent touchline conversion gave Wisbech breathing space at 17-5.

The closing stages were tense, with Wisbech squandering chances to seal the game and Lakenham unable to convert pressure into points.

Ultimately, Wisbech’s defence and resilience proved enough to secure the win, despite an uneven performance.

The Men in Red now enjoy a two-week break before travelling to old rivals Woodbridge on October 5 for round three of the league campaign.