St Ives Roosters opened their 2010 Rugby League Conference – East Division season with an emphatic win against a youthful St Albans “A”. St Ives went into the game with a depleted squad due to unavailability and injuries. This led to the Roosters Coach, Ian Hill, having to reshuffle his side with a few players playing out of position.
Prompted by their half backs Michael Drake and Paul Ashbridge the Roosters opened by their account when the returning Tim Lumley – Good powered his way through four attempted tackles to cross under the posts after 2 minutes. Matt Dear added the conversion to give the Roosters a 6 – 0 lead. The lead was increased further after 10 minutes when Drake fed Ashbridge from a scrum deep in the Roosters half. Ashbridge brushed off a couple of tackles to race the length of the field to score under posts with Dear once again successful with the conversion.
The rest of the first half, which was turning into a quite physical contest, featured both sides getting themselves into decent scoring positions but numerous mistakes led to no further score in the half.
The second half couldn’t have started any better for the Roosters as the scored once again after a minutes play. The physically dominating Roosters forwards progressed up the field quickly with a series of drives. This led to Stuart Castle crashing over the line to score his first try for the club. Matt Dear was successful with the conversion as the Roosters increased their lead to 18 points. Despite getting themselves into a comfortable position St Ives let St Albans back into the game to reduce their lead. A kick through by Drake was taken by full back who evaded three tackles to move the Centurions up the field. The ball was moved through numerous sets of hands to open their account with a try under the posts that was successfully converted.
The Roosters then had another warning that St Albans were not out of the game as they once again put together a fine handling move which resulted in their winger failing to ground the ball over the line. This resulted in the Roosters hitting back using their powerful forwards. The ball was driven deep into the St Albans half, hooker David Sykes, fed his brother Christopher who brushed off four tackles to extend the Roosters lead. This was quickly followed by a debut try for Roosters new signing Ashley Eusden. The former Cambridge Eagle had an impressive game and his perseverance in attack led to him breaking the Centurions line to outpace the chasing full back to score from 60 metres. Mat Dear converted and the Roosters stretched their lead and now started to open up with the ball.
Ashbridge scored his second try of the game with a fine individual effort which was set by Drake and another new signing from Greenwich Admirals, Stephen Judge. Judge made a break deep in the Roosters half; he then fed the ball to Drake who evaded a couple of defenders and released Ashbridge to crash over the line. The try was successfully converted by Dear to extend the lead to 34 - 6. Judge then became the scorer after being the provider as the ball was worked through hands as he scored from short range despite the attentions to dislodge the ball over the line.
The final Roosters score of the game came courtesy of Christopher Sykes who was enjoying his unaccustomed role as Centre. Deep the in the St Albans half he broke through three tackles to score under the posts with Dear kicking his sixth goal of the game. The plucky St Albans side scored the final try of the game with a unconverted try in the corner to make the final score St Albans 10 Roosters 44
The Roosters next fixture is an away game at Norwich Saxons on Saturday 29th May with a 2.30pm kick off.