Ferocious Stones tame Bulls

IVES fell on stoney ground at Somersham Road on Saturday as their fourth-placed visitors left with maximum points after a 36-5 victory.

Midlands Four East South

St Ives 5 Stoneygate 36

IVES fell on stoney ground at Somersham Road on Saturday as their fourth-placed visitors left with maximum points after a 36-5 victory.

The ferocious and well coordinated Stoneygate side set their stall out right from the off.

It was after the first scrum of the day five minutes in that Ives conceded their first penalty, which gave way to the first Stoneygate try, as the ball was moved across the park, through the Stoneygate hands, outflanking the St Ives defence.

The try went unconverted but, as Stoneygate received the restart, they looked coordinated and wasted no time in steaming forward again.

St Ives didn’t even gain possession of the ball before the Stoneygate number eight broke through some weak tackles to score their second try of the match, which was converted, to extend the lead to 12-0 after just eight minutes.

Into the second half and the visitors continued to camp within the home 22 and dominant possession told as they scored again, although unconverted, to make it 17-0.

Stoneygate, now rampant, were handed another opportunity to score and convert pushing the Ives deficit up to 24-0, before Tom Wakerley went over for the hosts’ only points of the match, a try which was unconverted.

But two more Stoneygate tries, one converted, before the end compounded an unsuccessful day at the office for St Ives.

This weekend, they host Stamford College Old Boys.

> BULLS seconds avenged their Greene King League defeat by rivals St Neots seconds earlier in the season by winning the return home fixture 14-10 at the weekend.

Neots had led 5-0 at the break, but Jason Price’s try and three Alex Henly penalties in the second half made sure Ives bagged the bragging rights.