Ely Tigers claimed their first win of the new London Leagues season at the expense of Cambridgeshire neighbours, Wisbech, on Saturday.
The Tigers produced a backs-to-the-wall display to see off their rivals 25-7 and send them to their second straight defeat in the Eastern Counties division.
Wisbech enjoyed extended spells of possession early on, but the Tigers managed to hold them out of their twenty-two with a solid defensive performance.
Ely eventually were allowed to drive forward and won a penalty after a Wisbech player was punished for lying on the back in a ruck. Skipper Joel Scott Paul opted to kick for the posts and added the first points of the afternoon.
The Tigers didn’t have to wait long to add to their lead, with Scott Paul notching the first try after a neat chip over the Wisbech defence from Alex Milne.
Scott Paul completed an impressive individual first-half display with another penalty soon after to give his side a 13-0 at the break.
Ely picked up from where they started in the second half and Mitchell Kennett crashed over after an excellent run for a converted try minutes after the restart.
Wisbech eventually reduced the arrears thanks to their captain, Solomon Prestidge, who drove over for a try converted by Jack Malkin.
Ely, who had earlier lost a player to the sin bin, responded well and, after a neat move, added another try through man-of-the-match Nathan Brooks.
The visitors spent the remainder of the game looking for a fourth try and a bonus point, but Wisbech held out and the Tigers claimed a 25-7 victory.
Wisbech captain Solomon Prestidge said: “We were not clinical in the last 20 minutes. We need to work on playing for the full 80 minutes. Our discipline at the rucks let us down.”
Ely, who are now fifth in the standings, host lowly Lowestoft & Yarmouth this Saturday while Wisbech, who are third-from-bottom, travel to fourth-placed Stowmarket.
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