Harlow 23 Ipswich 22

London Three North East

Harlow needed a win to stay in the promotion race and it was seventh placed Ipswich who they defeated to move up into second place. With leaders Brentwood losing to Campion allowing third placed Bury, who beat Romford, to jump into top spot and with  Harlow  share first place both with 18 points from eleven games.

The visitors played well, their star number 6 Woods scoring two of their tries and showing why he is soon to move to Northampton.

It was Woods who broke through to open the scoring with a try under the posts which fly half Lemarquand easily converted. Five minutes later and the Rams were level Lee Harron taking Lloyd Matchett’s pass from the tail of the scrum and touching down, Nick Ford making no mistake with the conversion.  Their lead was however short lived Ipswich forcing the Harlow forwards to infringe in front of the posts giving Lemarquand an easy penalty kick.

The Harlow pack worked hard to move upfield and following several ten metres mauls into the Ipswich twenty two a second try came, this time from a line out which resulted in hooker Scott Romiane crashing over on the left flank. Ipswich struck back immediately and took the lead when Woods scored his second try in the corner, and then extended it just before half time. The visitors stole the ball against the head in a scrummage and number 8 Blyth made a strong run down the left wing to put his team 22-12 up at the interval.

 In the second half Harlow piled on the pressure but missed passes and mistakes kept them out with Ipswich defending desperately. Ten minutes into the half Fossie Brown was replaced by Andy Vanstone who immediately made an impact cutting in from the left wing and almost reaching the line. The Rams struck again within minutes, this time it was Matchett who scored. The number 8 finished off another rolling maul from a line out. 

Harlow continued to press and a Ford penalty put them within two points with fifteen minutes left. Scott  Stoba then left the field for Kain Claridge who played the last fifteen minutes. Another attack by the Rams forwards was unfairly stopped just in front of the Ipswich posts and with six minutes left Ford put Harlow in the lead by one point. Despite the visitors trying to break out the Rams defended their lead and won a very close game.

Tries: Lee Harron,  Lloyd Matchet, Scott Romaine

Conversions: Nick Ford 

Penalties: Nick Ford (2)

1. - James Ephgrave

2. - Scott Romaine

3. - Paul Prindiville (Sub 40mins Gary Brown )

4. - Jon Snow

5. - Paul Eynon (Captain)

6. - Scott Stoba (Sub 65mins Kain Claridge )

7. - Mark Pickett

8. - Lloyd Matchett

9. - Lee Harron

10. - Nick Ford

11. - Simon Vanbeck

12. - David Stradling

13. - Ben Jarvis

14. - Matt Howard

15. - Francis Brown (Sub 65 mins Andrew Vanston )

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