Wisbech XV hampered by injuries and unavailability travelled to Saffron Walden in the Senior Cambridgeshire County Cup Final to take on the high flying home side from London 2 league side.
The home side and the spectators expected to walkover the Wisbech side but the opening did not go to their script. The Men in Red pressurised in attack, forcing a penalty which was kicked excellently to the corner by stand in fly-half Sam Anderson. From the line out drive a set piece move to winger Henrikas Stankus powering his way over to score the opening try.
The home crowd were silenced. Things seemed to be going the way of Wisbech until the loss of the powerful player/coach Nico Steenkamp to a head injury from which he was unable to return from.
Saffron Walden began to click and were soon in front on the scoreboard 12-7 half an hour into the game. With several Wisbech players playing carrying injuries started to catch up with them and a yellow card for a high tackle for the Wisbech centre Ben Edwards led to a flurry of points in the last ten minutes for Saffron Walden to lead at half time 33-7.
Half time talk Wisbech’s talismanic skipper Solomon Prestidge along with veteran club captain Dave Wadsley pushed for Wisbech to respond but the opening points of the second half went to Saffron Walden, scoring from the kick off.
Wisbech were showed no intensions of giving up, young 18- year old prop Luke Green powered his way over to reduce the deficit to 45-12 before Wisbech again had centre Josh ‘the rock’ Seale in the bin for a late tackle.
A man down there again, there was a quick flurry of points from the home side before Solomon Prestidge finished the game from a quick tap penalty to score a consolation try.
A dominant display from Saffron Walden led to the high score but Wisbech represented themselves well against tough opposition. With several outstanding performance to choose from, veteran prop Mark Goude, playing alongside his 17-year old son delivered an outstanding performance and was unanimously voted the Wisbech Round Table Man of the Match.
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