Ely 14 Norwich Union 22 DESPITE creating 18 excellent try-scoring opportunities Ely Tigers suffered their first league defeat of the season on Saturday. Ely were sloppy in possession early on and were clinically punished when the visitors moved the ball

Ely 14

Norwich Union 22

DESPITE creating 18 excellent try-scoring opportunities Ely Tigers suffered their first league defeat of the season on Saturday.

Ely were sloppy in possession early on and were clinically punished when the visitors moved the ball quickly out to the wing to score.

Ely fought back but wasted several clear chances, with the last pass constantly letting them down.

After the Tigers missed a kick at goal, the visitors kicked long from the restart, Ely immediately lost possession, and the ball was hacked on Norwich's second try.

The Tigers continued to take the game to the opposition and Ricky Neal drove over, only for the try to be disallowed for a knock-on.

Mark Mitzman gave the home side their first try, after several drives followed a line-out close to the opposition line.

Ed Fahy converted but Norwich kicked a long penalty to extend their lead to 17-7.

After further Tigers' pressure, they then had another try disallowed when Fahy was adjudged to have barged the defending player during a long chase for the ball.

The Tigers increased their tempo in the second half and a after strong drive from the forwards, Norwich held them off at the line.

In the next five minutes Ely won two five-metre scrums and three penalties and, in the midst of their desperate defence, Norwich had a player sin-binned. But again Ely failed to convert their pressure into points.

Ely attacked from the opposition 22-metre area for the majority of the remainder of the match. Six times they crossed the try line, but failed to score; once hitting the corner flag, twice knocking on as going over and three times they were held up.

Ely eventually brought the scores back to 17-14 when fly-half Sam Sanders-Hewett cut inside and went over and Fahy converted.

Meanwhile another opposition player was sent to the sin-bin reducing them to 14 players again.

Norwich then gained possession in their opponents' half for the first time in the second period when an Ely man knocked-on after the kick-off. They won their scrum and ran in to extend their lead to 22-14 with little time remaining and, despite Norwich having another player sin-binned, the scores remained the same.

# Ely Tigers' second team report and youth teams' round-up can be seen on our website.