Wisbech Rugby Club 1st XV beat Newmarket in Counties 2 Eastern Counties League
Wisbech’s 1st XV secured a bonus point victory in their first match back after the protracted Christmas break against a tough Newmarket side to maintain their top of the league position.
The game started evenly, but it was not long before the Men in Red got themselves on the scoreboard.
Some good interplay between fly half Gerhard Wessels and back rower Brad Williams released the ball to lock forward Solomon Prestidge to crash over from five metres out.
Another well worked piece of interplay between forwards and backs led to veteran Rudie van der Merwe going in under the posts untouched.
Full back Sam Anderson was successful with the conversion, with the Men in Red 12-0 ahead going in to half-time.
The second half began with centre Will Boreham powering through the Newmarket defence, with Solomon Prestidge on hand to finish the attacking phase from close range to score his second try.
Sam Anderson again added the extras to stretch their lead to 19-0.
Newmarket did hit back, kicking deep into the Wisbech half and earning a penalty try - reducing the home side’s lead to 19-7.
After a worrying period, Wisbech took further territorial control. Some well worked phases led to a penalty on the Newmarket 22 metre line, with the offload finding captain Gerhard Wessels - who went over from 10 meters out.
The introduction of the rampaging Raimondas Vinksna off the bench further added to Wisbech’s powerful attacking go forward. A fantastic run by winger Charlie Talmage was then stopped three meters from the try line.
Josh Anderson powered over in the corner from three metres out for the last try of the afternoon, with his older brother Sam adding the extras to leave the final score at 31-7.
The victory ensured Wisbech remain at the top of the Counties 2 Eastern Counties League table.
The match also doubled as the Tim Mason Memorial Cup, seeing Wisbech reclaim the trophy. Newcomer wing Charlie Talmage and the versatile Will Boreham shared the Wisbech Round Table man of the match.
Director of rugby Leonard Veenendaal said: “It was always going to be tough to find rhythm after a three week lay-off but credit to the boys, they worked for each other, it enabled us to dominate the collisions and set piece and we took our chances very clinically when on offer.
“Newmarket are a tough team who never quit making us work for the full 80 minutes which makes the win so impressive and of course it is also very pleasing to have wrestled the Tim Mason Cup back from Newmarket.”
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