Wisbech 1st XV in Eastern Counties One winning start

Wisbech 1st XV opened their Eastern Counties One league campaign successfully fielding the majority of the side to the one that lost last week away to Pegasus.

Wisbech 27 Swaffham 22

They welcomed back captain Solomon Prestidge, Ben Wicks replacing the injured Will Boreham, James Griffen and Kerrie McMullen.

Wisbech started strongly putting the visitors under pressure. Some good interplay between Sam Anderson, Ben Wicks and Harry Newman with Anderson finishing the move with the try in the corner to go 5-0 up.

Wisbech kept the pressure on the visitors, earning a penalty at scrum 10 metres from the visitors’ try line, opting to tab and go quick ball from the ensuring ruck found Nattachit Hunt who powered his way through a half gap for another try, converted by Mark Laws.

Wisbech kept the pressure on Swaffham earning another penalty in their 22. Mark Laws converted taking the score to 15-0 in favour of the hosts. Wisbech’s old Achilles heel of taking their foot of the gas allowed Swaffham back into the game to kick a penalty and lazy defence allowing Swaffham to score a converted try on the stroke of half time to be trailing only 15-10.

The first 20 minutes of the second half belonged to the visitors as they scored a converted try to take the lead 15–17. From the restart they exposed Wisbech poor defence to score another try to stretch their lead to 15-22.

Following some stern words from skipper Solomon Prestige the Wisbech fightback began. The ensuring pressure led to a Wisbech penalty five metres from the Swaffham posts. A quick tap and a long pass found Raimondas Vinksna who crashed over for a vital try. Wisbech kept the pressure on the visitors, a maul was brought down illegally , the referee awarding a penalty try converted by Laws, Wisbech had retaken the lead 27-22. The visitors through everything at their host but Wisbech defence held to the relief of the final whistle.

Josh Anderson and Hunt put in solid performances backed up by some powerful runs from James Patrick, but Man-of-the-Match Ben Wicks was outstanding.

Wisbech travel to Thurston on Saturday, KO 2pm.

Sawston 19 Wildcats 12

Wildcats travelled to Sawston who were recently demoted from EC2.

Wisbech started brightly with Adam Bunton being infringed while fly hacking the ball ending with a penalty try. Sawston hit back and gained a 12-7 lead. The Wildcats continued to battle but Sawston scored a breakaway try to lead 19-7 going into the last 10 minutes. Jacob Goat picked up the ball from a 5m scrum and fed fullback Nick Thompsett to score in the corner. The game went to the wire before Sawston earned a penalty due to an infringement at the breakdown.

MoM: Dan Hemus for a solid performance around the park.

Wildcats are at home Saturday to Saffron Walden 3rd XV, KO 2.30pm.