Eastern Counties Men Bow Out of this season's Bill Beaumont Championship

📆 25th May 2024 - 🕣 3pm KO - 📍 Bury St Edmunds Rugby Club - Eastern Counties 🆚East Midlands 

The Eastern Counties Men's squad bowed out of the this season's Championship following defeat against East Midlands at Bury St Edmunds Rugby Club, once again Eastern Counties rung the changes to the playing squad, calling on players from Wymondham, Ipswich, St Ives, West Norfolk, Shelford, Colchester, Saffron Walden, Stowmarket and Ely Tigers.

Like the previous two weeks game the sun was shone over the ground, if only all games I covered was like this, but alas it hasn't been during the season.

Early pressure from Eastern Counties produces the opening try of the game, scrum on the right, Eastern Counties  keep the ball live, moving the ball across the field with a kick into the corner, the ball was kept live and set up a try, with the conversion added, from the restart East Midland's apply pressure resulting in a try, but there were unable to convert the conversion. East Midlands soon after take the lead from a missed Eastern Counties tackle to break free to score just to the left of the posts, with the conversion added they lead 12-7, they soon increased the lead with the award of a penalty which they converted, to lead 15-7. 

Eastern Counties conceded another penalty which East Midlands take the chance to kick for points, which they add the points to the scoreboard to lead at the break 18-7.

East Midlands score the first try off the second half, a half so far littered with penalty’s and stoppages, with the

conversion added they increased their lead to 25-7, on the hour, East Midlands went down to 14 men, during this time Eastern Counties added their second try, with the conversion added, but were soon dealt a blow as they also went down to 14, despite this they were next to add points to the scoreboard, from a penalty on the left Eastern Counties work the ball out, finding Jake Alsop who kicked across the field the ball was picked up by the winger to juggle the ball over the try line in the corner, leaving a difficult kick, which was unconverted.

From the restart Eastern Counties hand a chance to East Midlands to open the gap once more with a penalty, but the chance went as the ball drifted wide of the posts, from the drop out kick, Eastern Counties again failed to tackle and the East Midlands pushed forward once more, again they conceded a penalty to clear for a line out, but again Eastern Counties when penalized another penalty for the line out not straight. 

With 80 minutes on the clock East Midlands were awarded another penalty which was the final kick of the game as the finish whistle blew as East Midlands ran out 28-19 winners to win the pool group.

Eastern Counties squad member John Paxton  is raising money to help a friend travel to Germany for treatment, to help his cause please follow the link  John Paxton Just Giving Page

My mate Harvey is going to Germany to get some treatment which costs a few quid (40k to be exact) and I really want to support him in any way I can, which happens to be dying my rocking mullet blonde. So the top will remain my natural hair colour but I will have some hideous blonde locks in the rear so please get behind me and support this unreal cause. I am booked in for the deed on 29th April and it will stick it out for at least a month.