1st September  2007 - Caldy  13   Hull Ionians  11   - National 3 North      pictures

Hull Ionians came close to winning a hard fought game that took 2 hours to complete through extensive injury stoppages. All their hard work in training at least brought the rewards of lasting the pace better than the home team to achieve an injury time fight back and at least gain a loosing bonus point and so nearly won the match.

Hull Ionians fielded 8 of their new recruits and all acquitted them selves well against a robust Caldy team that retained possession for most of the first half, Hull Ionians having just one foray into their opponents 22. Caldy could find no chink in Hull Ionians disciplined defence and Simon Mason struggled to kick his goals, landing just one from 3 after 17 minutes. Then in the 10^th minute of first half injury time, broken play saw the Caldy prop break through supported by his hooker, creating space for scrum half Matt Bennett to score in the corner. A lead of only 8-0 was not much for all the pressure.

Hull Ionians had the perfect start to the second half with Caldy offside at the kick-off and James Ferguson landing the long range penalty. Hull Ionians were now much more into the game and on 57 minutes Caldy dived in to kill the ball and Ferguson struck again. Caldy briefly raised their game and helped by two penalties that took them from their 22 to 5 metres out, the attacking line-out ended with a try for Richard Bradshaw, but again Mason’s kick went wide.

Hull Ionians looked the far more lively team for the final quarter attacking through their backs and forwards and in the 9^th minute of injury time an attacking line-out saw Mick Watson on as replacement to take the catch and Richard Wigham driven over for the try, but Ferguson’s kick to level the scores blew wide. Then in the 15^th minute of injury time James Greene broke from his own half and took play to the 22 where offside gained a penalty, but once again the goal kick drifted wide of the post, thus failing to take the match.