Yellow Cards Cost Tigers

 🏆 Counties 1 Eastern Counties

📆 22nd March 2025

🆚 Saffron Walden

Ely Tigers concluded their 2024/25 home season with a match against Saffron Walden. During the initial 15 minutes, neither team was able to assert dominance. However, Ely Tigers took the lead when Alfie Allen scored a try, with Matt McCarthy successfully adding the conversion at the 22-minute mark. The Tigers further extended their advantage shortly thereafter with an impressive play from captain Jim Storey. Following a swift reaction to a blocked kick from Paul Dewey, Storey kicked the ball towards the goal area and won the footrace to score a try under the posts, enabling McCarthy to add another conversion.

Jake Alsop

At the 31-minute mark, Walden achieved a breakthrough from deep within their own half following a successful scrum and scored under the posts. Despite this effort, they were unable to add the conversion.

Just before halftime, Ely Tigers scored again after several scrums on the Walden try line. McCarthy made a dive to secure the try, and the subsequent conversion bounced off the upright and fell goal side, resulting in a score of 21-5 in favour of the Tigers as they headed into the halftime break.

The second half began like the first, but the visitors dominated. Ill-discipline hurt the home side as Jake Alsop received a yellow card, leading to Walden's converted try. Despite being a man down, the Tigers scored with Luke Turner intercepting for a try, and McCarthy converting. Walden capitalised on a missed tackle, scoring but missing the conversion, narrowing the gap to 26-17. A successful penalty kick brought them closer at 26-20. Further penalties saw Tiger players Ryan Edgeworth and Ash Clark earning yellows, reducing them to 13 men. Walden seized the opportunity, scoring and converting a corner try to win 27-26.

Speaking after the game, head coach, Des Lloyd said “Result-wise, it wasn’t what we wanted, and losing by a single point on the last kick of the game is heartbreaking—especially after leading 21-5 at halftime. Unfortunately, discipline cost us. Three yellow cards in a game is unacceptable, and spending 20 minutes with 14 men—plus another 5-6 minutes with just 13—was ultimately what cost us the match. .