Stowmarket 0 - 35 Newmarket

Newmarket completed the away leg of a season’s double over Stowmarket with a totally dominant performance. In contrast to recent matches Newmarket were quick off the blocks and from Stowmarket’s drop out the forwards gathered the ball and kept it alive through a series of mauls to get within 5 metres of the try line. From the subsequent lineout Daniel Bristow stole the ball and crashed over for the first score.

The next move of the match was almost a repeat performance, though this time the backs were involved before Ethan Brown picked up from the back of a ruck to double the score after only four minutes.

Now brimming with confidence, Newmarket gathered from the re-start and some slick offloading, combined with further steals at the lineouts, moved them to within a few metres of the try line. This time it was Daniel Downing who was able to drive over from the maul.

The Stowmarket kick off went into touch 5 metres from the Newmarket line, but this was the closest they were to get. Nathan Buckle picked up the ball and shrugged off tacklers to run three quarters the length of the pitch. The Newmarket forwards drove Stowmarket off their own ball at the scrum and Ethan Brown touched down for his second try of the match.

In the second half Newmarket continued to dominate both territory and possession, with the backs increasingly getting into the act. However, despite rarely crossing the half-way line, Stowmarket mounted a determined defence and made good use of long kicks to relieve the pressure on their line.

Newmarket crossed the try line several times only for the ball to be held up. It looked as if they would have to settle for a scoreless half until a switch from full-back to second row gave Joe Stafford the chance to pick up from the scrum. His touchdown from short-range with the last play of the match, together with five conversions from Oliver Green, meant that Newmarket ran out 35 – 0 winners against Stowmarket for the second time this season.