Sun 19 Jan 2025
Report by James Newbery
On Sunday 19th January, Frome Academy welcomed Ivybridge to The Lane for the Last 16 fixture in the National Cup.
Frome put the away side under pressure early, dominating two scrums. Following an attacking line out, an excellent catch and drive from Frome gave good field position. Seb Smith and Oscar Stickley carried over the gain line, in unison.
With five minutes of the game gone, Ivybridge attacked, following a Frome knock on. But huge defence in midfield from centres Toby Cassidy and Bryn Lewis led to a turn over.
From another positive scrum, fly-half Alfie Newbery caught a loose ball off his toes and flicked inside to Stickley who rampaged down the wing and was unlucky to be tackled narrowly short of the line.
After ten minutes, a big kick in defence from IvyBridge was caught expertly by Henry Williams in the backfield and he made good ground. However, minutes later Ivybridge attacked in the wide channels and scored out wide for a 0 - 5 score line.
The first half became slightly stop start, as there were numerous lengthy delays due to injuries to the away side.
Once the game re-started, following big tackles in midfield from Isaac Cornish and Harry Greenwood, Lewis prowled and jackled the ball to give Frome an exit. Archie Pearn, playing on the wing leapt onto loose ball and grubbered through to the try line. Again, Frome were narrowly denied a try.
With ten minutes left to go of the half, Cassidy stepped one defender and sent the ball up and Frome attacked the space. A strike move followed, Cam Vince and Newbery combined and Cassidy ghosted into space. But, the ball was eventually turned over by Ivybridge. The away side attacked through a fly hack and Williams and Lewis scrambled the ball away.
Into the final minutes of the half, Frome were under the pump. Aelfric Bidder and Stickley were tackling everything in sight, Kayden Henley sacked a maul with Ewan Cox and and Bidder held up the ball on the line.
But the away side managed another try eventually. Following a kick through, Ivybridge moved the ball wide and scored, against the run of play.
With clock in the red, Frome moved the ball up field and Ivybridge were under pressure. They carried the ball over their own line. Unfortunately there was no time for the scrummage, and the referee blew the half time whistle.
The second half started with a bang, in the opening minute, under pressure Newbery grubbered the ball through midfield. Cassidy gathered the ball and attacked the posts. He lifted the ball to Lewis to score. Greenwood hit the extras to make the score 7 - 10.
With five minutes gone of the second half, Frome barrelled towards the try line; good hands unleashed William Ibbitson, who was tackled into touch. Frome attacked from the next phase, and were held up in the next phase and Ivybridge cleared.
Again, against the run of play, IvyBridge marched up field and scored under the posts to extend their lead to 7 - 17.
After twenty minutes, Ivybridge offended repeatedly on the try line. Frome, sensing an opportunity carried into traffic. Through Bidder, Cox and Henley, each carry turned the screw further and further. Eventually, captain Henley beat three men on the line to score. The home crowd erupted and roared their boys on, as the score was Frome 12 - IvyBridge 17.
The backline for Frome were really beginning to motor. Hands from Newbery and Lewis offered Zach Sibley space on the wing. He passed to Harrie Webster. The winger showed his pace to sprint 30 meters and was agonisingly short of the line.
More dominance from Frome followed, the home side were camped on the Ivybridge line. Frome carried narrowly, then out wide. But the away side scrambled well.
Finding himself in space; after a good strike move. Cassidy darted forwards and beat three defenders. He was tackled just sort of the line and IvyBridge cleared. With the final act of the game, Ivybridge knocked the ball on - but time was up. The scrum that the home crowd were cheering for, and demanding, was not to be.
An engrossing and even encounter ended 12 - 17, all of the players can be very proud of playing their part in an outstanding game of knock-out rugby in front of a packed crowd.
Good luck to Ivybridge who go onto the quarter finals of the National Cup.
FT: Frome RFC Academy 12 - 17 Ivybridge RFC Colts
