The sun was finally shining at Ledgard Avenue when last season’s two promoted teams went head to head in the NWML Division 2 game and what followed could easily go down as the game of the round if not the season so far.

From the off it was obvious Pilks where going to be a handful due to the size of their Pack. In particular Pilks number 13 Richard Rafferty running hard and strong and looking to off-load at every opportunity. However it was the East pack really bending their backs with props Mike Fearny and Steven Keegan really putting themselves about in defence.

Pilks had the bulk of the possession in the 1st quarter but the East defence was resolute. Once East had the ball halfs Saf Jama and Ellis Noon started to get into the game and Jama began opening up the Pilks defence with some sublime passes forcing the defence into scramble mode.

Both sides continued to cancel each other out with the East back three of Ryan Hughes , Alex Holcroft and Nathan Gaskell really doing the hard graft in defence.

Late into the 1st half it looked like the game was going to be scoreless at half time until 10 mins before half time a mis-timed Pilks kick was then hacked on and the lucky rebound of an East player was snapped up by Rafferty to open the scoring and close the half out at 4 – 0.

The East players didn’t really need many half time words other than stay in the grind and the chances will come as the Pilks big pack would tire as the game wore on.

Within 5 mins of the kick off Jay Yarwood / Ellis noon started to open the Pilks defensive line up with both making 35m breaks only for the attack to fizzle out with the final pass going to ground.

East continued with some brutal defence which saw two of the Pilks players taken from the field with Johnny Abbott, Chris Hamer and Craig Dootson really taking advantage of a weakened defensive line only for the sets to break down with passes going to ground.

East where piling the pressure on the Pilks line with Bernard Aboagye getting more and more involved and causing all sorts of problems and gaining penalties off some tired defence.

Pilks however wouldn’t go away and intercepted an East attack deep in their own half forcing Robbie Burton to scramble and close make the tackle 20m from the east this again epitomising the never say die attitude the players had in this game.

East finally broke the line with 10 mins to go with quick thinking from Hamer shifting the ball to the right edge which saw Aboagye crash onto a flat pass and despite the attentions of 2 defenders manged to ground the ball to open the scoring for East.

Noon just missing out on the extras left a very nervous last sven mins for both sides.

East continued the pressure with Yarwood, Gaskell, Jama, Fearny and Keegan really taking it to the line and gaining some good ground but the Pilks defence held solid

Pilks gained possession on their own line from a handover only to knock on with 2 mins to go.

Saf Jama, suffering from a dead leg and playing the last 20 mins on one leg, was the coolest bloke on the pitch, slotting over the 1 pointer straight from the scrum for East to lead 5 -4 

A hurried kick off saw East uncharacteristically fumble the ball and the resulting scrum allowed  Pilks stand- off, Ryan Stevens to slot home the Field goal to level the scores at five all, the referee immediately calling time on what was a pulsating game of Rugby.

The East players from 1 to 17 contributed to a great game and will take some real confidence and positivity from the performance.

Man of the Match went to Jay Yarwood for an outstanding game.