Opening Day Fixture

🏆 Counties 1 Eastern Counties - 📆 7^th September 2024 - 🆚 Diss - 🕣 3pm KO - 📍Cambridge Commodities Park

Pre Season training is done, new faces have come and some have gone already, In Ely's case a new coaching team have come in, so opening day of the 2024/25 season has arrived, and gave Ely Tigers a home fixture against Diss, a side they'd done the double over the season before, but this season so many of the clubs in the league had made changes to their coaching, that had also brought changes to the playing squads.

The day also marked the return of the clubs 2nd XV as they played against Mildenhall & Red Lodge in a friendly, first time the second 15 had been out on the pitch since January 2023, with a total of 38 player turning out over the two sides.

The match against Diss kicked off at 3pm, and within a minute Ely found themselves 7-0 down, Tigers were soon level as Matt McCarthy crossed the try line, with Jake Alsop adding the conversion, but back came the visitors as Tigers were unable to get a foot in the door, as they raced into a 21 – 7 lead, as half time approached Tigers added to the score board, as Jim Storey powered over the try line, Alsop was unable to add the conversion as Tigers headed to the break 21-12 behind, the second started very much like the first, a scrappy game, and like the first half it was Diss that added to the score board first with the award of a penalty, which Diss added to increase their lead, Diss went town to 14 as the referee awarded a penalty which Alsop opted to kick, but he pulled his kick wide of the posts.

Soon after Ely had their first try of the half on the board as they moved the from right to left to unable McCarthy   added his second try of the afternoon, with Alsop adding the conversion to close the gap, moments later Tigers were level, as Grant Storey being stopped meters from the try lines, but managed to keep the ball live, probing left to right, finally finding the gaps they needed, as McCarthy’s cross field kick was caught by Declan Wolverson who in turn was able to free Paul Dewey, who finally feed Jim Storey who crossed the line to score his second try of the afternoon, with the conversion missed the score was level at 24-24, from the restart Diss had the chance to score with a penalty, the ball fell short, with time running short the game was heading for a draw, but there was still a chance for Ely , from a scrum on the right in the Diss half, Tigers moved the ball sideways once more looking for the gaps, which they found for McCarthy to score his third try of the afternoon, with Alsop adding the conversion as the final score finished with a 31-24 score, coach Des Lloyd spoke after the game to say, “we done really well, getting that first win, however lots to work on over the next week, from half time we had to make some changes, and that got us to where we needed to be, so we look forward to a week of training and the trip next Saturday to Bury 2s”