Diss 3rds 36 :24 Sudbury 2nds

Even though Diss were the home side it was Sudbury who started the game brighter. Diss began disorganised and after an initial attack, a kick through brought Sudbury into the game and they scored. Soon after Diss had an attack in the Sudbury half and while they were on top an intercepted pass from Will Edwards was caught by a Sudbury player and he ran from inside his own half to score. More Sudbury domination followed and a score from a line out gave Sudbury a third try. Ageing Diss Veteran Will Foote went down with ten minutes of the first half still remaining clutching his knee, he could not continue and Warwick Bowen replaced him in the Diss pack. Another Diss veteran Dicky Blomfeld came off and he was replaced in the pack by Benny Goodman moving from centre to prop. Diss got into the game by good running from Will Edwards and Ben Holdsworth almost scored. Sudbury came back at Diss and an up and under caused chaos in the Diss 22 and a missed catch caused Sudbury to score again. The half came to an end with the score 24 – 0 to Sudbury.

The second half could not have been any different. Diss came out of the starting blocks and battered Sudbury who had no answer. The crowd roared the side on with vigour and soon James O Farrel from centre scored after good work by Jack Germany and Ben Fidler. Ageing Diss veteran Mark Prior playing his first game for 15 months kept encouraging the Diss pack and soon another try was scored by Jack Germany after great work in a lineout by debutant Jacob Page. Diss had the ascendency and through more attacking play the Diss backs marshalled by Will Edwards, who was superb and James O Farrel, winger Ben Brooks found himself in space and barged his way from inside his own half to score. Diss closed in on the Sudbury score and soon after centre James O Farell scored his second to bring the scores level. A Sudbury penalty then brought Sudbury back into the game and with 10 minutes to go Sudbury led 27- 24. Skipper Benny Goodman who just earlier had put in the biggest tackle of the game managed to receive the ball from close range and score under the posts to give Diss the lead with 5 minutes to go. In the dying moments of the game a Will Edwards kick through landed in the Sudbury try line and Ben Brooks raced on and touched the ball down. Diss had done it, overturned a 24 point deficit at half time.

Report by: Benny Goodman