Enfield Ignations 23 TABARD 15 – EDF Energy Cup 2^nd Round (AET)

A last minute penalty from Tabard’s stand off, Tom Woodhead, took Tabard’s cup tie against Enfield Ignations to extra time but in the end Tabard found themselves losing by 23 points to 15.

Unfortunately for Tabard the growing injury list forced them to field a slightly under strength side and, despite some good rugby, on the day Tabard were not quite good enough up front against Ignations towering bulk of a pack.

At first Ignations looked the better side but, apart from up front, Tabard soon got into their stride and began to use the ball better than their opponents but to no avail. Then Tabard’s luck ran out. A loose ball over the Tabard line was clearly grounded by Tabard’s full back Neil Hopcroft but the referee missed it completely and awarded the try to Ignations centre. Linnahan, who dived on the ball a fraction later. Fullback Moore added the conversion and Ignations were ahead by seven points. Virtually on half time Moore converted a penalty but then in injury time Tabard got a try of their own. From good line out ball, Woodhead made the initial surge, centre Mike Thomas carried the ball in close, it was quickly re-cycled and flanker Cam O’Connor powered through the defensive wall to score and Woodhead added the conversion so Tabard were just three points adrift at the break.

Virtually from the restart Tabard were on the board again. This time, as the ball was rucked close to the touchline, hooker Martin O’Neill picked up and needed no second invitation to sprint through the gap that suddenly appeared in front of him. He then had sufficient speed to beat the covering defence for the try to put Tabard ahead by 12 points to 10. Tabard then looked as though they could well take the game but Ignations used their supremacy up front to get a pushover try claimed by number 8, Warren. The game then settled down to Tabard trying to get the ball moving and Ignations continually slowing the game down. Then, in the dying seconds Woodhead gave Tabard a second chance with his penalty that took the teams to extra time.

In the first half of extra time another Moore penalty put Ignations ahead and in the second 10 minute half Tabard kept going but a succession of scrums on their own line finally culminated in another pushover try, this time claimed by scrum half Roper and Ignations had sealed the win by 23 points to 15.

Team: Hopcroft, Jenkins, Woodhead M, Taylor-Davies (Thomas 20m), Ashcroft (Davis 80m), Woodhead T, Gough, O’Neill, Colette, Kidd, Gill, O’Connor, Calnan and Stoba.

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