Eastern Counties Open With A Defeat

  🚐 @rugby__tog On Tour

🏆 Bill Beaumont Division 3 - Pool 1

📆 17^th May 2025

Eastern Counties🆚Leicestershire

Bury St Edmunds RFC

Eastern Counties opened up this season's fixtures with a home fixture at Bury St Edmunds Rugby Club against Leicestershire, the sides have met before, the last meeting coming in 2023, as Eastern Counties ran out 31-12 winners,

Eastern Counties had pulled together a squad of players from Stowmarket, Oundle, Shelford, Diss, Woodbridge, Wymondham, Holt, St Ives, Saffron Walden, Ely Tigers, Sudbury. Hertford, Beccles, Felixstowe and Hadleigh, captained by Ely Tigers, Matt McCarthy, 

The journey to Bury St Edmunds was uneventful, arriving at the ground an hour before kickoff, which allowed us time to observe the squad during their warm-up. 

The opening five minutes saw a competitive battle between both sides, with the visitors appearing to have the upper hand in the first quarter. Eastern Counties were forced into an early substitution due to an injury to Bradley Robinson (Shelford). Following the interruption, the visitors capitalized on their momentum, crossing the try line and successfully converting to take a 7-3 lead. Eastern Counties then had an opportunity to narrow the gap when they were awarded a penalty, which Finlay Laing expertly slotted through the posts

Leicestershire's second try came just before 30 minutes on the clock, as again they found a gap in the Eastern Counties defense to cross the try line, with a conversion, they led, 14:3, From the restart, Eastern Counties won another penalty, again with Laing kicking the penalty to close the gap, the first try of the Eastern Counties saw the Ely Tigers duo combine together as Matt McCarthy feeding Luke Turner to score under the posts, with the conversion added the score board read 13-14, an error from the restart saw Leicestershire score a try, as they probed away at Eastern Counties finally going across the try line to make it 13-19, as the conversion fell short

Eastern Counties had an early opportunity to add points to the scoreboard with a penalty kick by Laing, but the attempt was unsuccessful. However, Eastern Counties quickly recovered and managed to cross the try line after a swiftly taken penalty, with Laing successfully adding the conversion to secure a 20-19 lead.

 

Another penalty against Leicestershire for a high tackle provided Eastern Counties with an opportunity to kick for three points. The game took on a stop-start rhythm, with both teams giving penalties or losing yards. As the game neared its end, Leicestershire was positioned deep in the Eastern Counties' danger zone. Leicestershire regained the lead with a converted try, moving three points ahead.

From the restart Eastern Counties handed the ball straight back to Leicestershire with a mistake, Leicestershire with a scrum in the center circle, a dummy pass saw Leicestershire. break away again, only a last ditch tackle prevented the score, but it wasn't long before the score came, as the crossed the try line in the corner, the conversion missed as the score moved along to 31-23, another chance for Leicestershire, gave them a chance to extend their lead, as they were given a penalty, they stretched there lead with a scoring penalty, the last word of the game went to Eastern Counties, with a quickly taken conversion by Matt McCarthy under the posts, as the game closed to 34-30 to Leicestershire, which was the last play of the game.