Away Day Win, lifts Tigers to 5th Place

 🏆 Counties 1 Eastern Counties

📆 22nd February 2025

Ely Tigers 🆚 Cantabs

Ely Tigers traveled to Sedley Taylor Road, Cambridge, for a rearranged fixture against Cantabs. This game provided more favorable conditions than the previous week's match against Colchester IIs. Due to the nature of the rearranged game, Tigers head coach Des Lloyd made changes to the starting lineup, giving Coby Guerrero his debut as a replacement. 

In the opening attack, Tigers crossed the try line in the corner with John Surbey, marking his third consecutive game with a score. Matt McCarthy was unable to complete the conversion. The lead increased when Alfie Allan scored under the posts, and McCarthy successfully added the conversion, bringing the score to 12-0.

Cantabs gradually found their way back into the game, nearly crossing the try line before being stopped by a last-ditch tackle. Following this warning, Cantabs won a lineout from the clearance and returned to the attack, eventually breaching the Tigers' defence to score. With the successful conversion, they reduced the Tigers' lead.

After a spell of Cantabs pressure, Ely broke away to score their third try of the afternoon as Luke Turner scored under the posts, McCarthy adding the conversion, as the game entered first-half injury time, Ely scored again, again in the corner, after Jim Storey picked up the ball, falling short of the try line, McCarthy picks up the ball to score, he also added the conversion, Elys penalty count started to climb putting the defence back line under pressure, leading to Cantabs second try of the game, however, the conversion was missed as Ely lead at the break 26-12

Early in the second half, Ely went over with Mitch Kennett touching down, with McCarthy adding the conversion, next on the score sheet was Rhys Williams Goldman crossing over the try line, however, the home side charged down the conversion kick from McCarthy. Surbey was next to provide the chance for Turner to score his second try of the afternoon, as McCarthy was able to add the conversion points as Tigers edged towards 50 points. 

Cantabs were next to score their third try of the afternoon, under the posts, when again the penalty count went against Ely, giving the home side a chance, they also added the conversion, and the totting up of penalties saw Ely down to 14 as Issac Oldwood received his marching orders for 10 minutes, however a few minutes into Ely being down a man, Cantabs also found themselves a man shorts as the received a yellow card.

With both sides down a man, Tigers went over again as Williams Goldman crossed over the line in the corner, however, the conversion was missed, into the game came Coby Guerrero who soon made a mark on the game by adding the final try of the afternoon, much to the delight of his teammates, as Ely ran out 55-19 winners,