Bury IIs Dominate Tigers in High-Scoring Clash

 🏆 Counties 1 Eastern Counties

📆 31st January 2026

🆚 Bury 2s

🕣 2pm KO

📍Pocock & Shaw Park

With a re-arranged game against League Leaders, Bury IIs, the game got off to the perfect start, with Jake  Alsop scoring a penalty inside the opening minutes, however on the next drive Bury pushed Tigers back  across the Try line with a converted try to lead 7-3,

 

The next drive sees them skip pass Ely tackles to score another, converted try to lead 14-3, Ely on the score sheet, with Josh Flanders scoring his first try for the senior’s try, diving over, Alsop was unable to convert to leave the score board 14-8, Bury score again, a jinking run, skipping tackles, to cross the try line. unable to convert the chance they led 19-9as they scored their bonus points try, their lead soon increased as they score again with the next attack, as  they move the ball from left to right to score, they were unable to convert the chance, to leave the score 24-8’

 

From the restart Bury score again with their 5th try, had they been able to convert their chances the scoreboard would have looked worse for Tigers, Ely attack, and from close range,  Matthew French goes over as Ely convert the try, to leave the scoreboard reading 29-15, from an Ely line out, Bury 

win the ball, to once more score, a converted try, but there once still time before half time for Ely 

to a score as  Alfie Allen to score, as Alsop adds the conversion to leave the score 36-22, during 

Eiy scoring, Bury went down to 14 as they received a yellow card.

 

First attack of the second half and Bury score in the corner, to score a converted try to increase 

their lead, Bury click the scoreboard over towards the  50 point mark, with another try, which they unable to convert 47–22, Bury were down to 13, as they received a further Yellow card. While they were down to 13, Ely scores again, with Coby Guerrero scoring0Tigers  4th try to  pick up their bonus points, as Ely go on the attack a misplaced pass was  intercepted and Bury raced the length of 

the pitch to score, with the conversion added, deep into second half injury time Bury added two further 

try to inflicted Tiger heaviest defeat of the season, as the final score finished 67-27 to the 

visitors

 

Shelford's Fast Wing Play Hurts Ely Tigers Once More

 

🏆 Counties 1 Eastern Counties

📆 24^th January 2026

🆚 Shelford Nomads

🕣 2pm KO

📍Pocock + Shaw Park

Ely Tigers opened the first of three home games as the played host to Shelford Nomads, both sides looking for points, but again the home side were forced to make changes to starting 15.

The game started with Ely on the backfoot, as Shelford were awarded a penalty, opting to kick for the points, from just in the Ely half, but the ball went wide of the posts, however they soon got on the score sheet with the next attack, and the attack was a carbon copy of the previous weeks defeat at Ipswich, as Shelford moved the ball quickly, with purpose, on to the wing, were they had the overlap to score in the corner, unable to add the conversion they took a 5-0 lead.

With just 10 minutes on the clock, the lead was doubled, a mirror move of the first try, resulting in another try out on the wing, Shelford failed to add the conversion as they took a 10 nil lead, they soon had the chance to add a penalty, which they did, to make it 13-0, Ely hadn't go going, Shelford soon made it across the try line once more, again in the corner, however this time they added the point's for the conversion, to lead 20 nil,

First attack of the half for the Tigers, as Tom Green goes over the try line, Jake Alsop unable to add the conversion, but the joy was short lived as Shelford secured the bonus point to lead as they increase their lead, Green adds the Tigers second try, with the conversion added by Alsop, but during the end of half, Tigers were dealt a double blow, with both, Lory Martin and Green, forced off the pitch due to injury, which meant another reshuffle for the home side. 

Second half saw Shelford score first, after a dropped ball by Ely was picked up, for Shelford to score a try, Tigers were reduced to 14 as Matt French received Yellow card, while a man down, Shelford increased their lead, from the next break, Mitch Kennett goes over to score, under the posts, with Alsop added the conversion, as the score line read 35-19, Ely added some hope as the scored their 4th try, as a strong run by Matt McCarthy, was held up with the try in line insight, McCarthy was able to get the ball away to Coby Guerrero who dived over the line, as the score read 35-26. 

With full time approving Shelford were awarded a penalty, the opted to kick, deciding to kick for points, a successful kick would have seen Shelford open the gap up to much for the home side, the kick sailed over the posts as Shelford finished the game 38-26 winners.

Tigers Face Tough Start to 2026 Season with Heavy Loss Against

 

🏆 Counties 1 Eastern Counties

📆 17th January 2026

🆚 Ipswich

🕣 3pm KO

📍Humber Doucy Lane, Ipswich IP4 3PZ

Tigers finally got 2026 started with a league fixture against Ipswich, both sides looking for points to push them up the league. The home side start bright, scoping inside five minutes, with a unconverted try to lead 5-0, soon after they doubled their lead, With ten on the clock, as they score again, this time in the corner, with another unconverted try to double their lead, The next attack looked it was going to be a long afternoon for the Tigers, as they conceded a third try, as Ipswich scored in the corner once more, this time converting, to lead 17-0, however Ely were next on the score sheet, with Jake Alsop breaking free, with John Surbey finally touching down the ball, with Alsop adding the conversion. 

With 22 minutes on the clock Luke Turner broke free to run, unchallenged to score under the posts, with Alsop adding the conversion as the score board read 17-14 to the home side

However, Ipswich soon open the gap with a converted try, down the left hand side,, the left hand side of the pitch was proving profitable for the home side, as they quickly opened the gap up to 36--14, with a mixture of converted and non converted tries, to go into the half time brake with a healthy lead, First attack of the second half sees Ipswich score from a scrum deep in the Tigers half, with the home side breaking off the blind side, with the conversion added the home side increased their lead, the rest of the half, see neither side take control of the game, as the fog dropped in, Ipswich edged to the 50 point mark, as they push Ely back across the try line, to score a converted try, as the final score finished 50-14.

Ely Tigers Wrap Up 2025 Season with Impressive Derby Win,

🏆 Counties 1 Eastern Counties

📆 20th December 2025

🆚 Newmarket

🕣 2pm KO

📍Pocock & Shaw Park

 

Ely Tigers wrapped up their 2025 campaign with a local Derby against Newmarket, looking to build on last week's win against North Walsham.

The Tigers got off to a strong start, crossing the try line within the first five minutes as Matt MaCarthy converted a Joel Scott Paul try. The game then settled, with McCarthy adding three more points via a penalty. Grant Storey, making his return to the squad, also found the scoresheet to bring the score to 15-0. Shortly after, Mitch Kennett added another try, extending the lead to 20-0 at halftime, while ending the half with 14 players

In the second half, Jake Alsop kicked a penalty for three points, but Newmarket responded with two converted tries, narrowing the gap to 23-14. These tries gave Newmarket momentum, but the home side pulled away again when McCarthy converted his own try. Although Newmarket managed another score late in the game, the final score stood at 30-21. As they head into the Christmas break, the Tigers remain in the bottom two but are only two points shy of ninth place, with several pivotal matches still to come in January against teams close to them on the table.

Ely Tigers Fall 22-29 in Wet Clash

 

🏆 Counties 1 Eastern Counties

📆 22nd November 2025

🆚 Saffron Wakden

🕣 2pm KO

📍Pocock & Shaw Park

On a wet Saturday, Ely Tigers were still chasing their first win of the season as they fell to a 29-22 defeat against Saffron Walden. Once again, they were unable to field their strongest starting 15 due to player availability.

Within two minutes, Saffron Walden scored a converted try under the posts, finding their way through gaps in the Tigers’ defense to take a seven-nil lead. The Tigers steadied the ship and gradually worked their way back into the game, With 11 minutes on the clock, Walden had the chance to extend their lead with a penalty, but the ball drifted just the wrong side of the posts. However, by the 21st minute, they managed to increase their lead with an unconverted try, making it 12-0. Walden extended the lead in first half stoppage time, finishing some free flowing rugby to score a converted try, to lead 19-0, from the restarts some good play by Tigers saw Mitch Kennett get the ball over there the try line, after some strong play by Jordan Barnes as the Half finished 19-5. 

The second saw a further try for Walden as the cross the try line for a converted try as the referee points for a Walden score as they increase the lead to 26-5, but Walden soon went down to 14 as they receive a yellow card, and during this time Tigers score, as they score a try to make the score 12-26. a further try saw the Tigers make the score board 17-26, but a penalty to Walden in front of the posts saw them kick for the points, which sees them keep the scoreboard ticking over and to increase their lead to 17-29, Tigers score again t0  close the gap, with Jordan Barnes scoring to decrease the gap to 22-29, but time ran out as the referee signaled full time and another defeat for the Tigers.

This coming weekend Tigers travel to 5th place Colchester, 

Try Scorer, Jordan Barnes

Ely Tigers Fall Just Short in a Nail-Biting Clash Against Ipswich YM

🐯 Game Day #169

🏆 Counties 1 Eastern Counties

📆 8^th November 2025

🆚 Ipswich YM

🕣 2pm KO

📍The Street, Rushmere St. Andrew

Ely travelled to the newly renovated Ipswich YM for their latest league fixture, seeking their first victory of the season. The Tigers made an impressive start, with Tom Green scoring the opening try and Matt McCarthy completing the conversion. Luke Turner then added a second try, extending the lead to 14-0. However, a handling error by the Tigers allowed YM to get on the scoreboard, narrowing the gap to 14-5.

Starting from a lineout deep within the YM half, Ely advanced the ball over the try line, with Lee Thompson scoring and McCarthy successfully converting. Subsequently, following a scrum in their own territory, YM managed to clear their lines with an up field kick; the ball bounced favourably for YM, allowing them to secure a converted try, bringing the score to 12-21. Approaching halftime, YM further reduced the deficit with another converted try, resulting in a halftime score of 19-21.

The second half starts like the first half finished, both sides  looking like they were going to score, but neither could find the finishing touch, but YM took the lead with an unconverted try in the corner,  to lead by three points, from a line out, Ely’s Jordan Barnes  goes over in the corner, with McCarthy unable to convert from the touch line, An intercepted pass saw YM to run in a try under the uprights, as they converted to lead 31-26, with time running out, but there was still time for Ely to score one more try, with Turner scoring his second try of the afternoon, with McCarthy adding the conversion to lead 33-31,

With the match approaching the 80th minute and entering added time, YM responded as the referee awarded a penalty to the home team. Choosing to kick for three points, the attempt was successful, sending the ball over the uprights. The referee then signalled the conclusion of the game, with YM emerging as 34-33 victors.

Tigers' losing streak extends with home loss.

🏆 Counties 1 Eastern Counties

📆 18^th October 2025

🆚 Southwold

🕣 3pm KO

📍Pocock & Shaw Park

After last week's loss to Shelford, the Tigers suffered further injuries, resulting in lineup changes for their home match against Southwold. Despite these setbacks, the Tigers began the game more energetically and quickly took an early lead. from a Southwold lineout, Ely secured possession of the ball and crossed the try line within the opening five minutes, with Alfie Allen successfully completing the try. Jake Alsop then added the conversion.

With ten minutes on the clock, an error at the back allowed Southwold to cross the try line and secure a converted try. Shortly after, a line out enabled Ely to respond, with Scott Macfarlane being driven over for a try, which Alsop successfully converted. Following the restart, Southwold managed another converted try, bringing the scores level. Ely was then awarded a penalty try as John Surby approached the try line; the referee intervened just before grounding, awarding the penalty and reducing Southwold to fourteen players.

Southwold level the score up once more, breaking from deep inside their own half to score under the posts, they then had the chance to take the lead, after being awarded a penalty, and opting to kick for the points, they missed the chance, from the restart, the kick from Ely was returned to Southwold were they chased down a kick off the Ely backline to Southwold to score, but they failed to add the conversion to lead by 5 points, Ely had the chance to close the gap after they were awarded a penalty, with Alsop opting to kick for the 3 points, which he added, but back came Southwold once more with a converted try this was followed up by anther penalty which they opted to kick to increase their lead, this time converting the 3 points, with full time closing in, Southwold added another converted try, under the points, their was sill time for Ely to score a try as Allen went over in the corner, which Matt McCarthy converting as the final score finished in a 39-31 defeat for Tigers.

Matchday Photos