Saturday 13th September 2025 | Eastern Counties 1st Division
Following last weekend’s hard-fought victory over Ely Tigers, West travelled to the home of Newmarket RUFC with a quiet confidence. Their hosts, however, were also in buoyant mood, having dispatched West’s fellow promotion side from last season – Ipswich YM in convincing fashion in Ipswich the week before.
Team news
West were without the services of newcomers Angus Flint and Will (Bob) Langfer, but they were boosted by the return of several familiar faces. Last season’s standout youngster Joe Whittaker slotted in at hooker, Josh Burgess returned at full-back, Sam Landles lined up in the centre, and the experienced Shaun Mowbray added depth from the bench.
First half
The game began at a frantic pace, with Newmarket clearly intent on testing the West defence early through a range of powerful carries. The West line, however, stood firm, frustrating their hosts and forcing errors. Fly-half Jack Trundley took full advantage, using his boot to pin Newmarket deep in their own territory with a series of well-executed kicks.
It was West who struck first, surprising both the home players and supporters. From another pinpoint Trundley kick, West secured clean lineout ball and launched the first of several dominant rolling mauls on the day. Showing patience and control, they worked through two further phases before second-row Jeremy Darley powered over the line to open the scoring.
Confidence was growing, and West tightened their grip on last season’s runners-up with two further tries before the break. The first came once again from a precision Trundley kick into the corner, finished off by another monstrous rolling maul. The next owed much to a trademark break from James Dobbler at the base of the scrum, sucking in defenders before offloading to Layton Toll, who finished smartly in the corner. Newmarket did manage to get on the board before half-time with a penalty, sparing some blushes as the sides turned around.
Second half
The second half started poorly for West, as Newmarket hit back quickly with a well-worked move that saw their winger cut in-field to exploit a rare gap in the visiting defence. In years gone by, this might have proved a turning point, but not this season. The resilience and camaraderie in the West ranks was clear for all to see. A midfield turnover and a perfectly weighted kick from skipper Jack Wicks once again forced Newmarket back into their own 22. In their desperation to run the ball clear, they were met by a ferocious defensive effort, with Man of the Match James Dobbler stealing loose possession to set up another scoring chance. This time West showed the composure that had been lacking against Ely, building phases patiently until Jacob Chapman spotted a gap and powered through to score.
With momentum fully on their side, West continued to press. A brilliant break from George Lemon looked certain to bring another try before he was hauled down illegally, resulting in a penalty try. The final score of the afternoon came courtesy of William “Moose” Allen, who capped sustained pressure in the Newmarket 22 by crashing over the line to seal an emphatic West Norfolk victory.
Final score: Newmarket RUFC 10 – 45 West Norfolk
Man of the Match
For the second week running, West produced a number of standout performances across the field. This time, however, the Man of the Match award went to James Dobbler, who had narrowly missed out the week before. Building on that display, he somehow raised his game even further, producing a series of powerful carries and thunderous tackles at crucial moments.
Coach’s view
Head Coach Jamie Williamson had this to say:
“It was imperative that we approached this game with the right mindset. My message was simple – the only expectation was that every player left the field with their head held high, knowing they had given everything. They didn’t disappoint. It felt like another step forward from the Ely game, and if we can keep reviewing our performances each week, learning and improving even in small ways, I’ll be a happy man.”