Ely Tigers Fall Just Short in a Nail-Biting Clash Against Ipswich YM

🐯 Game Day #169

🏆 Counties 1 Eastern Counties

📆 8^th November 2025

🆚 Ipswich YM

🕣 2pm KO

📍The Street, Rushmere St. Andrew

Ely travelled to the newly renovated Ipswich YM for their latest league fixture, seeking their first victory of the season. The Tigers made an impressive start, with Tom Green scoring the opening try and Matt McCarthy completing the conversion. Luke Turner then added a second try, extending the lead to 14-0. However, a handling error by the Tigers allowed YM to get on the scoreboard, narrowing the gap to 14-5.

Starting from a lineout deep within the YM half, Ely advanced the ball over the try line, with Lee Thompson scoring and McCarthy successfully converting. Subsequently, following a scrum in their own territory, YM managed to clear their lines with an up field kick; the ball bounced favourably for YM, allowing them to secure a converted try, bringing the score to 12-21. Approaching halftime, YM further reduced the deficit with another converted try, resulting in a halftime score of 19-21.

The second half starts like the first half finished, both sides  looking like they were going to score, but neither could find the finishing touch, but YM took the lead with an unconverted try in the corner,  to lead by three points, from a line out, Ely’s Jordan Barnes  goes over in the corner, with McCarthy unable to convert from the touch line, An intercepted pass saw YM to run in a try under the uprights, as they converted to lead 31-26, with time running out, but there was still time for Ely to score one more try, with Turner scoring his second try of the afternoon, with McCarthy adding the conversion to lead 33-31,

With the match approaching the 80th minute and entering added time, YM responded as the referee awarded a penalty to the home team. Choosing to kick for three points, the attempt was successful, sending the ball over the uprights. The referee then signalled the conclusion of the game, with YM emerging as 34-33 victors.