EEL’s Giveaway first ever loss in the league to local rivals Southend Spartans!

The game originally meant to be at Home this Saturday but due to the Spartans entering a team into a local charity event they could not complete the fixture on the Saturday EELs putting the nature of the game and rugby league first agreed to give up the home game for a Thursday fixture at Westcliff RFC. With structure being the only problem at the start of last week’s game with Cambridge and no training session in between to iron out any cracks it was no surprise to how the game started with Spartans vouching to prove they could compete this season.

Spartans started physically with a bigger set of forwards due to eels missing a few regulars, and very quickly got on the score bored with missed tackles and eels forwards really missing there lead runners and not really testing the Spartans defense. The lead was mounted up to 16-0 after 30 minutes. Spartans forwards seem to start blowing a this point and started to push the ball out wide luckily eels were strongest out wide and manage to put pressure on a Spartans attack lead by winger Simon Wood’s intercept and neat offload to Callum Whitcombe to dot down but Chambers could not convert leaving the half time score 16-4.

Eels look to start the second half well with some good defensive work but just could not get going with ball in hand with forwards making error after error sometimes comical, which gave Spartans prime position to score. Eels come back with a great restart forcing a drop out and after a rare completed set, eels amounted enough pressure after a kick from chambers for Whitcombe to slide over. From the restart looked to have turned a corner with great kick return and Mike Hogan breaking away from well inside his own half brushing over five tired Spartans players. 60 minutes in we looked to have a game on our hands with the score now 20-16. Next score was crucial and with eels receiving kick off and looking to picking up the pace as Southend were tiring, but an dubious forward pass was given and after 3 penalties and lack of discipline the eels defense caved in with Southend scoring the defining points making the score 24-16 with another missed kick.

Spartans were there for the taking in the last 15 minutes with players looking extremely tired but the ongoing error count was the only thinking gaining momentum and keeping Southend on top they found there selves running out of ideas with the ball regularly coming back to playmaker Buster Hodges who found himself on the wrong end of a few big hits one after dropping a high ball and eels try being disallowed for a push. Spartans full back lead the Spartans attack down field but again found themselves out of ideas with their play maker being turned over in the tackle eels sprang into action and chambers jinxed passed two defenders before giving Simon Wood 70m sprint home.
The score was now 24-20 and a few Spartans players were sprawled over the pitch with cramp. EELs were taking the strong hold and looked to take control of the game in the last 5 minutes and forced another drop out, only for three players near the ball to leave the ball and let it bounce into touch given Spartans possession on the halfway line. Spartans full back later voted man of the match sprang into action and lead the attack making good ground with good defense up until the last tackle a poor pass aimed for player maker buster was fumbled and ended up in the hands of the other half back who stuck a kick that scrapped the fingertips of Simon woods hands only for Spartans fullback and in all fairness deservedly touch down for the winning score. Full-time Spartans win 28-20.

Coach Sherwood said “I am disappointed with the result, as we have a great winning culture but I think this loss today will be what we need to push on and have another good season, first things first Bedford Tigers away in the Cup Semi Final on June 20th”