Two teams’ contrasting styles lead to thoroughly entertaining match

With Haverhill arriving at the Chicken Shack early and the Bulls 1sts and 2nds warming up together, it was clear that both sides were taking the encounter seriously.
There were two very contrasting game plans on display. Haverhill mostly kept the ball tight and battered the gainline close in, whereas Ives were keen to put width on the ball and make use of their fleet footed back three.
After some toing and froing, Ives broke the deadlock as Rick Peters received the ball out wide and rounded the visitors defence to score. Mitch Newman stepped up to convert.
The Bulls had a couple of chances in the first quarter, but Haverhill’s defence was sound.
The second quarter saw Haverhill come back into the game. Drives by the forwards saw them camped in Ives 22. Countless tackles from the likes of Sam Tuckwood, Shaun Mundy, Kane Hardwick, Marc Tirant and Alex Fry up front and Dave Sykes and Tom Riches in the centre kept them at bay until they finally broke through. The conversion was missed.
As the half was drawing to a close, Ives broke the shackles and made their way upfield. Rob Olivier and Graham Moffitt were breaching the line. Max Flint was enjoying himself running on to the ball and took the game to the opposition 22. Greg Dale’s swift delivery gave the backs the space to whip the ball wide for Peters to dart through a gap and score his second. Converted.
Half time 14-5
With the expansive game plan clearly gaining the ascendancy, Ives were determined to deliver more of the same in the second half.
Within barely 5 minutes, Haverhill kicked forward speculatively for Flint to catch the ball on his 22. He then sprinted the length of the field weaving and swerving to leave numerous defenders in his wake. With the full back tracking back, it was a one on one sprint for the line, which Flint comfortably won. Again, converted by Newman.
Haverhill redoubled their efforts and their followed 15 minutes of intense pressure on the Ives line. Haverhill repeatedly trucked the ball up through their forwards, but the Bulls showed extraordinary resilience to keep them out, now with Sam Vivers, Greg Dale and Tom Margetts adding their weight to the defence.
The tide was finally turned as Haverhill were bundled into touch on the Ives 5 metre line. What followed was a thing of beauty. A superb lineout maul drill followed with pack taking the ball to the 22. The backs took the ball forward in the next phases to the opposition 22. The ball went left and right through multiple hands until Tuckwood capped a fine personal game, jinking through to score. Newman completed his 4 from four.
There was still time for Haverhill to mount attacks, but Ives defence was as good as there attack on this day and they ran out worthy winners.