London 3 East Woodbridge 3 Southwold 21 A week after losing to Woodbridge in a cup classic, high-flying Southwold returned for a league battle with eight new faces and revenge on their minds, writes Simon Ballard.
The first scrum hinted at the forward bias in Southwold’s game-plan as they repelled the Warriors enthusiastic start.
Scrum-half Chippy Middleditch used lock Jamie Jenner, flanker Sherrard Block and No8 James Hall to batter the home defence and win a penalty attempt.
The visitors kept the territory, forcing Woodbridge to run from deep where ‘Wold pushed them back from a five-metre scrum and James Hall scored, converted by Josh Wallis to make it 7-0.
Woodbridge tried to answer the forward threat through No8 Aldous Salavejs and Matt Bowman winning penalties that allowed fly-half JP Hart to ratchet downfield, only to be penalised for holding on.
Southwold forwards drove from a scrum and fly-half Callum Anthony scampered 30 metres before wing Jon Utting and full-back Wallis put centre Cemil Duruk over for the try, converted again by Wallis for a 14-0 lead at the break.
Woodbridge restarted with a couple of long line-out balls and a close call from wing Felix Kibble.
It was the Warriors that now punched upfield with centre Sam Hallows and Bowman forcing a hard tackle from sub Matt Howell. Clogg kicked three points before Southwold returned to the onslaught, getting close with a rolling maul.
But Woodbridge threatened with a period of repeated charges, Tom Stokes and Owen Scott much in evidence. Southwold replied as they ran from their own half, flanker Phillip Pymer and sub Patrick Stevens having good carries.
The game went aerial as both sides tried to get in behind the full-back and Woodbridge took nothing from a lot of frustrating phases in the ‘Wold red zone.
Hall then rallied Southwold with a great sprint and a line-out on the five-metre line saw Patrick Stevens break from a maul and score.
The Warriors had another crack at charging the try line, sub Herb Parsley bashing at the door, but these plucky endeavours ended fruitlessly as Southwold claimed their revenge.
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