ELY Tigers were powerless to stop a marauding Shelford side as they were beaten 38-10 in a Cambridgeshire County Cup match on Saturday. A commanding first-half display from the visitors proved too good for the home side who battled gallantly but in vein a

ELY Tigers were powerless to stop a marauding Shelford side as they were beaten 38-10 in a Cambridgeshire County Cup match on Saturday.

A commanding first-half display from the visitors proved too good for the home side who battled gallantly but in vein against a ruthless Shelford attack which ran over some four first-half tries.

Hopes of an upset and a place in the cup final were high among the home side coming into the game as they welcomed back captain Mark Mitzman in the front-row. They soon realised the magnitude of their task however, as they locked horns with an unyielding burgundy wall.

Though the Ely forwards were the more effective force in the scrum, keeping possession proved an altogether harder task as on a number of occasions Shelford prospered from turnover ball.

When out of possession Ely tackled well but were undone by the pace with which Shelford were sending the ball along their line, resulting, on a couple of occasions, with the ball finding it's way to a particularly bothersome winger who smashed his way through the defence.

Although Ely registered a penalty in the half there was a lack of real attacking threat with which to cause the visitors problems, save for a late break which, but for a fumble following a broken tackle, may well have brought a try.

Ely were visibly riled by the causal nature of the visitors, and emerged for the second-half a side with renewed purpose. They battled tirelessly and slowly turned the game, putting Shelford on the back foot.

They were finally rewarded when, following a scrum, Lee Coulson made the most of an opposition fumble which was hacked through under the posts for him to run on and score.

The try was duly converted and Ely took some gratification from a second-half performance which saw them prove a much tougher proposition for the visitors despite the overall loss.

Ely are to play England DRU at home on Sunday 1st March kick off 2.30pm.