St Ives Roosters 28-22 Thetford Titans

Rugby League Conference - Eastern Division

Saturday 12th May 2007

St.Ives Roosters opened their 2007 Rugby League Conference campaign with a hard fought win over newcomers Thetford Titans. In a game that saw the lead change hands four times, the home side came out eventual winners despite a penalty try in the final 5 minutes that brought the visitors back within a converted try of taking the spoils.

The home side were up against it from the off, playing up the slope and against a strong breeze. A great kick off into the wind brought about a knock on deep in the visitors half. After taking the ball left then right from the scrum, Jack Blackley dived over in the corner only to have the try disallowed after touching the corner flag before grounding.

This close call spurred the visitors into action and after some great offloading in the tackle, centre Martin Sands took advantage of a 2 man overlap and a vacant full back to open the scoring, the try converted by full back Craig Donald.

It was later in the half before the home side hit back after both sides had completed several complete sets of six without breaking the defences. The try came on the last tackle when RLC debutant James Shearman pounced on a perfectly weighted chip into the in goal area from Jon Paxton.

The Roosters then increased their advantage when Hooker Andrew Dean, in at dummy half, spotted an overlap on the blind side allowing substitute Michael Cade to crash over for his first of the season.

The visitors then hit back with some sustained pressure on the Roosters line. The home side kept them out despite 3 repeat sets of six on their own line, but the sheer weight of tackling allowed Titans full back Donald to take advantage of the weary defence and latch on to a poorly sliced kick and a lucky bounce, half time score, Roosters 10 Thetford 12.

Immediately after the break, a poor Titans kick off directly into touch gave the Roosters possession. A penalty followed and the easy yards gave loose forward, Shearman, his second of the game. Once again the visitors hit back bringing the scores level at 16 all, before two tries from the home side appeared to put the game out of reach. The first saw another RLC debutant, Cervanek, dive over in the corner, before a great break from Jamie Noble and some great support play from the hooker Dean allowed a stroll over under the posts.

This game did however have a final twist. After a surging run from second row Mike Sykes gifted an opportunity for Blackley simply to put the ball over the line and take the game out of reach, his mind was elsewhere and the ball went to ground. The resultant scrum gave the visitors a last ditch effort and some poor tackling and a flop on the try scorer Tom Perrin saw the Titans awarded a penalty try. The conversion was missed but the penalty was converted and game ended with a home win despite the late scare.

The Roosters next home game sees them entertain Colchester Romans on June 2nd, whilst next week they take on divisional favourites, Bedford Tigers away.