Chelmsford travelled to Ipswich on Saturday to face the current league leaders and undefeated team. Chelmsford played with considerable flair and spirit and will think that they were slightly unlucky not to secure the victory.

Playing against the breeze and slight slope in the first half, Chelmsford were often under pressure, but they kept their discipline,  tackling was always fierce and the gaining of turn over ball was often achieved . Whenever possible the ball was fed wide to the talented back line. After 25 minutes, Chelmsford went into the lead when the ball was gathered deep in their own half, the ball was fed wide and at pace before Matthew Barker made a incisive break from 35 metres out to score wide out from which Joel Young hit a difficult conversion.

Ipswich were stung into action and using the wind the Ipswich flyhalf pinned Chelmsford into their twenty two metre area with an aerial bombardment. They scored two important tries in the last five minutes of the half. From a five yard scrum they gained possession and battered their way over and then following a forward drive the Ipswich barged over from close range. Both tries were converted from difficult positions.

Half time Ipswich 14 Chelmsford 7

The second half began with Chelmsford in the ascendancy, they went close on several occasion, good tackling from Ipswich and the odd handling error preventing Chelmsford from scoring. Continued pressure did put Chelmsford in good positions when penalties were awarded and the ever reliable boot of Young hit two penalties to reduce the margin to just one point. With ten minutes to go Chelmsford took the lead, a fine move in the backs got the ball close to the line and a quick feed allowed Harry Moseley to power over for a converted try. To their credit Ipswich came straight back and a penalty kick led to a five metre lineout from which their wing forward eventually drove over for a converted try.

There is no doubt Ipswich were very relieved at the final whistle. There were many plusses for Chelmsford, firstly the set scrums were much better than previous weeks as was the reduction in penalties conceded. Someone who rarely gets a mention, the referee, who also had a fine game!

Chelmsfords Director of Rugby, Kev Blackmore said this of the game "This is a bitter sweet moment for us. The lads put their bodies on the line for the club today. Every man put in a huge shift! We arguably played the better rugby than Ipswich, but ultimately came up short. Ipswich were deserved winners in the end, they kicked particularly well in the first half and we gave them some momentum at key moments, which they capitalised on"

Next week Woodford are the visitors to Coronation Park kick off 2.30pm