Ignatians get back to winning ways (From Enfield Independent)

Enfield Ignatians get back to winning ways

3:30pm Tuesday 3rd April 2012 in Sport

Enfield Ignatians responded to back-to-back defeats with an entertaining 40-29 win against London Two North-East strugglers Beccles.

Ignatians ran in six-tries as the hosts kept their faint play-off hopes alive. However, with second-placed Basildon claiming maximum points at Hampstead, the gap between the two sides remains 11 points.

Beccles needed a victory to avoid relegation and performed well in the first period to go in 18-14 ahead at the interval. Early strikes from Marcus Sale and Stefan Holmes, plus eight points from the boot of Luke Wade putting the visitors in front.

Sam Clark played a pivotal role as regards keeping Ignatians in touch. The inside centre scoring before he did well to send winger Tan Mbonu over the line to claim Ignatians' second try. Both were converted by Adam Smith.

Even with the penalty count massively against them, Ignatians managed to move up the gears to run-out comfortable winners in the second period by collecting a further four tries via Wes Warren, Andy Roper, Carl Buckland and Mbonu.

Captain Richard Laurence said: "Initially it felt as we still a bit hungover from the Basildon defeat however we eventually got our act together. There will be no let up in the final three games as we wish to maximise the number of wins in a season at this level, which, hopefully, will set out a marker for next season."

Providing Basildon can take all five points at home to Lowestoft & Yarmouth on April 14 they will go through to the play-offs, even if Ignatians, who have two games in-hand, manage to secure a maximum 15 points in the last three games.

Still, Ignatians aren't prepared to throw in the towel quite yet and they also have a Middlesex Bowl semi-final to play against London Nigerians.

Enfield’s second team ended their Herts-Middlesex Merit Table One campaign on a high following a thrilling 32-26 away victory against Stevenage Twos. Tries from David Gear, Keir Bonnar, Hadee Fayaz, Sam Fussell and Justin Clarke helped secure the win.

The Ignatians Under-10s were successful in their two encounters with visiting Stockwood Park, claiming 5-3 and 8-4 triumphs.

The Under-8s defeated a mixed Under-7s/Under-8s Stockwood Park side 11-9 before the Under7s were beaten 10-9 by the same Park side. The Stockwood Park Under-9s dominated the three encounters with their Ignatians' counterparts 3-1, 3-1 and 7-1.