The fifteenth round of London 3 Eastern Counties fixtures saw Fakenham host Newmarket at the Stringer Ground. This was the first meeting between the two sides as Fakenham were unable to take a side to Newmarket earlier in the season due to a large number of injuries.

There was a sold out pre-match luncheon with Butcher Andrews Solicitors there to unveil the new post protectors they have sponsored for the club. This created a great atmosphere and along with the dry weather promised a brilliant day of rugby.

The match started at a high tempo as it became clear that both sides were there to play an attacking game. With the wind against Fakenham in the first half it forced them to keep the ball in hand, which worked in their favour. After moving into the Newmarket half, a knock-on seemingly put an end to the Fakenham attack. However, Fakenham won the ensuing scrum against the head, setting the tone for scrums for the day. After a few phases, the ball was moved out wide to winger Brett Stolworthy on the right for him to go over in the corner. The conversion attempt from full back Murray Tindal was unsuccessful.

Another try for Fakenham soon followed in very similar fashion. Once again good hands from the backs put Stolworthy into space wide on the right to run a try into the corner. The conversion was unsuccessful in the gusty wind.

The Fakenham forwards were setting a strong platform, with their scrum dominant and flanker Joe Airey disrupting the Newmarket lineout at the front of the line. Off the back of this platform, the Fakenham backs were able to run in a few more tries before half time. Fly half Tom Bane-Young took a ball in the Newmarket 22 and avoided a couple of challenges to dot the ball down. This time the conversion from Tindal was successful.

Further scores followed from Tindal and inside centre Luke Boynes, after one of many strong, jinking runs he made throughout the game. Both conversion attempts were unsuccessful against the wind, putting the half time score at 27 – 0.

Newmarket came out stronger at the start of the second half. After moving into the Fakenham half, Newmarket retained the ball well through phases, before moving the ball out to the right, where they avoided the Fakenham tackles to go over. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful.

Both teams continued to attack and traded scores. Fakenham scored next, with Tindal scoring his second of the day. The ball was worked out to him wide on the right, where he showed great pace and power to run in a try from just inside the Newmarket half. He then converted his own try to take the scores to 34 – 5.

Newmarket followed with a score of their own, as they again held onto the ball well, before going over from close range just to the left of the posts. The following conversion was good.

With the wind at their backs, Fakenham were able to keep play in the Newmarket half. After some sustained pressure, Bane-Young put through a kick that was chased by Boynes and the ball bounced favourably for him to collect without breaking stride and dot down for his second try just to the left of the posts. Tindal’s conversion was successful.

Soon after, Tindal completed his hat trick, as more good hands from the backs enabled him to score again, though this time there conversion was just wide. There was still time for one more score, as Josh Gee, on as a flanker, took advantage of some good interplay and offloading before finishing it off with impressive pace to score Fakenham’s ninth and final try of the afternoon. Tindal was successful with this conversion and with the final whistle soon following, the final score was 53 – 12.

Both teams looked to play rugby throughout, leading to a very entertaining game for the large crowd. The Barsham Brewery Man of the Match was hooker Rory Singleton, who carried well throughout the game, scrummaged brilliantly and brought others into the game.

Next week sees the 1st XV travel to Ipswich YM. Fakenham lost the previous fixture 10 – 33 at the Stringer Ground in November and so will be looking to overturn the result this time round.