Daggers Triumph in Top of Table Clash

The Blues remain 5 points clear at the top of the league with a game in hand following a comprehensive 43-0 victory over second place Ellingham & Ringwood scoring 7 tries in the process.

Ellingham & Ringwood kicked off, the Blues knocked on and from the scrum Ellingham & Ringwood drove in to the 22, but were penalised. George Hussey took a quick tap getting over the half way line but the offload was knocked on. Neither side could get any real momentum with both sets of forwards defending well on the heavy pitch.

The Blues broke the deadlock when quick ball from a forward drive in the 22 was whipped out to Rich Layzell who went in at the corner for an unconverted score. The next period of play followed a similar pattern with neither side able to make the decisive break. Freddie Woolner made several strong runs and some telling kicks deep into Ellingham & Ringwood territory with Oscar Tompkins unlucky not to score after a good chase, being penalised for a double movement.

The Blues finished the half the stronger, when after another Woolner kick through, Ellingham & Ringwood had a drop out collected by Dan Butler who drove back into their 22. Quick ball from the ruck went down the backs with Mitch Waters offloading to Layzell for his second try, converted by Waters. From the kick off the Blues showed the benefit of quick ruck ball for the backs, spun out to Tompkins who was just held but a neat inside offload to Toby James, who had backed up well, produced the final score of the half. Half time 17-0.

The second half started with a Blues lineout from which Woolner made a strong run into the opponents 22 but the final pass did not quite go to hand. The Blues gained a scrum penalty and again quick ball through the backs resulted in Sam Roberts-Wray being held up. Ellingham & Ringwood offended again and Hussey took a quick penalty to drive over by the posts for the converted bonus point try. The Blues forwards were now getting on top, not allowing E & R to get over the gain line and creating turnovers.

From a Blues scrum superb hands by backs created the opportunity for James Tuck to go in unopposed for a converted try. The Blues backs kept up the tempo but good defence twice stopped Woolner after strong breaks. He was not to be denied, when after collecting an Ellingham & Ringwood clearance kick he drove into their 22 and offloaded to Roberts-Wray to score in the corner converted by Waters.

Ellingham & Ringwood could not make any headway as the Blues defence denied them any openings and with almost the last play of the match, Woolner collected the ball at pace on half way but was denied a deserved score as the referee was unsighted. From the resulting scrum, quick ball was fed out by Tuck and Waters with a superb cut out pass to Roberts- Wray created the final score.