EEL’s own worst enemy at magic weekend!

Eels were eager to get back to winning ways away at their Essex rivals after previously losing. A strong side was fielded but two carbon copy halves of starting well and then self-imploding were the deciding factor in the result.

A powerful response looked to be on the cards with Dean Mcfarlane and Damore Balgourn making powerful runs to setup two team tries within the first ten minutes for Simon Wood and Callum Whitcombe, which were dually converted by Chambers. A patch of over confidence mixed with confusion of referring decisions led the eels to go off the boil and Spartans took full advantage of the numerous penalties for backchat and simple errors leaving the half time score 22-12 to Southend.

The second half eels started powerfully from kick off with a big hit from Centre Callum Whitcombe lifting the side and two tries following Whitcombe grabbing his second with Damore Balgourn being rewarded with his hard carrying all game with a try. The scores now 24-22 and the eels looking to go up a gear was halted by Two consecutive penalties and a dubious try from Southend as the winger seemed to drop the ball on the floor and kick the ball as it bounced. Eels Players not dealing with the pressure efficiently caved in again to which Southend again took advantage of the territory and now tiring team as they spent most of the second half defending.

This the third loss in the row with Head Coach Sherwood mentioning “We have got such a young and talented squad that is learning all the time and as I reminded the boys and rest of the league by not taking promotion last season You don’t learn to become a good team winning everything its these games where the test of character is needed to bounce back is where you learn the most, but we have got them back at our place before the end of the season and there is always the Grand Final so all is not lost”

Eels lost to Bedford Tigers so will have no game on the 11th July as it is cup final weekend. Next game against North Herts Knights on the 18th July.