Cottenham Renegades 7 Ely II 14 EXCELLENT performances from Will Watts and Jimmy Gilbourn helped Ely Tigers second team come from behind to record a fine win in this friendly. Watts was everywhere and Gilbourn s ferocious tackling, superb work-rate, pas

Cottenham Renegades 7 Ely II 14

EXCELLENT performances from Will Watts and Jimmy Gilbourn helped Ely Tigers' second team come from behind to record a fine win in this friendly.

Watts was everywhere and Gilbourn's ferocious tackling, superb work-rate, passing and overall skill added a touch of class to the Tigers' performance.

The Ely side had a strange look because there were big changes to allow every position to be filled. Ely started with 14, borrowing a winger until their last player arrived.

Early exchanges were all in the Renegades' half but the home side enjoyed the majority of possession. The Ely scrum then started to roll and slowly the Tigers began to establish themselves.

But a lack of cutting edge, with the flat midfield unable to capitalise on Matt Daybell's fly-half runs or generate any attacking moves, meant the Tigers rarely threatened the opposition line.

A huge drive from the pack took Ely within touching distance of the line, but the half-time whistle came to the home side's rescue.

Ely started the second period without Vic Cato, who was patching up a hand injury, but still produced some good pressure in the Cottenham 22-metre area.

Cottenham found themselves in a good attacking position, following a long kick, and Cato's reappearance was not enough to save his team from conceding the first try when the Renegades passed the ball across the field and scored from an overlap. The conversion gave the home side a 7-0 lead.

Ely went down to 14 players for a short period but pulled level when forwards drove strongly to the opposition's 22, where the resultant ruck ball was moved blind to Will Watts to score in the corner. Daybell confidently kicked the difficult conversion.

The Tigers looked a different team from then on with backs breaking and forwards driving well.

The dominant Ely pack made many metres with a strong drive before Cottenham were penalised.

The quickly-taken penalty was run, and slick passing quickly moved the ball 50 metres across the field to Vousden on the overlap, and sheer strength took him over the line. Daybell kicked another excellent conversion and Ely led 14-7 to dominate.