Sat 4 Jan 2025
IPSWICH YM RUFC First XV v MERSEA ISLAND RUFC Match Report
4th January 2025
Happy New Year to all associated with the Ipswich YM RUFC.
Mersea Island made the trip over the causeway and the border to the YM’s Rushmere ground for the first fixture of 2025. The reverse fixture on Mersea Island back in late September had been a high scoring game that ended 43-35 in the YM’s favour. So it was a surprise that the first half of this match ended with the scores level at 0-0!
To be fair, the scores being level did fairly reflect an even half with Mersea soaking up early pressure from the YM. An early penalty was kicked to touch for a 5m lineout which the YM secured and the resulting maul moved ominously towards the Mersea try line before the visitors managed to hold the ball up and secure a goal line drop-out to take play back into the centre of the pitch.
It was now the YM’s turn to defend against an increasingly confident Mersea side who looked certain to score after collecting a somewhat fortunate rebound from a defensive kick into a YM player only for their player to agonisingly drop the ball as he went to touch the ball down over the YM try line.
YM’s Jake Goodwin intercepted a Mersea pass on his own 22 and surged up to half-way with outside centre Adam Clark running an excellent support line at pace but the pass of that slippery and odd shaped rugby ball unfortunately could not be cleanly gathered in cold hands in the last significant play of the half.
The second half started and quickening the pace of the game saw the YM cross the try line for the first score of the game. Quick ball was secured at a ruck just inside the Mersea half and YM scum-half Adam O’Leary released the ball to Barny Horsfield at pace who slipped a pass to Jake at full speed breaking down the left wing. Right winger Joe Pearce running a great supporting line received the pass before neatly returning an inside pass back to Jake to beat the defender and score in the left corner. The tricky conversion was missed with YM into an early 5-0 lead.
Sustaining a higher tempo now it was not long before the YM doubled their lead with a strong break from YM full-back, Corey Parfitt, starting the move and quick ball from the ruck set up by Corey saw Adam Clark score in the other corner for a deserved try. The tricky conversion attempt was missed by Barny but YM found themselves leading 10-0 after 50 minutes.
Substitutes, Ali Bevan and Josh Rhind, replaced Monty Douglas and Connor McLaughlan in the pack but the YM were penalised for holding on in a ruck in front of the posts and Mersea’s full-back Pat Gardiner elected to kick for goal successfully for a 10-3 scoreline.
The YM won a penalty for offside which Barny kicked into touch for an attacking 5m lineout which was agonisingly stolen by Mersea but good YM pressure won them another penalty in Mersea’s 22. This time the YM elected to take the ‘tap and go’ option with Toby Hill powering over the line for the try which was not converted for a 15-3 score on 70 minutes.
A further penalty was awarded to Mersea after the YM failed to retreat 10m which Gardiner kicked successfully to close the gap to 15-6 into the final minutes of the game. But Mersea were not finished and almost from the kick-off the ball was gathered by Mersea’s left winger, Alexander Strutt, in his own half and found space before accelerating down his wing before neatly kicking the ball down the touchline and smoking the turf to score an excellent try in the corner. Gardiner could not convert the tricky kick with the final score ending 15-11 to the YM.
There have been better performances from the YM and they looked like a side who had quite understandably enjoyed their deserved Christmas break and had only had a single training night since their last game in mid-December. When they upped the tempo of the game they were at their most characteristically dangerous. The YM again showed their resilience and capabilities to grind out the win against a spirited and tough opponent in Mersea Island.
WE ARE THE Y!
