Ivel travelled the short distance to Sherborne to play their first game of the 2011/12 season against their fierce rivals. After a good pre-season and some very competitive training the Ivel players were keen to test themselves on the pitch. It was also their first game playing with 15 in a team and on a full sized pitch.

Ivel had a large squad of players with a few making their debut for the Ivel outfit and they more than proved themselves on the pitch. The game started well with Ivel taking an early lead with some great running by Harry Mchugh after some great inter passing between the backs and forwards. This trend continued throughout the game with the forwards proving a steady platform for the skilful Ivel backs to run at Sherborne.

Sherborne started to apply the pressure onto Ivel and this resulted in a well deserved try but this only spurred the young Ivel side on to produced some brilliant running rugby in the rainy conditions. Some great lineout takes and driving runs by Elliot Berryman and some powerful scrumming by Myles, Robert Samways and Elliot Ryan helped Karl Morgan dominate the game at fly half which allowed Harry McHugh to score a further 3 tries (Aston and  Cueto eat your heart out!!)

Ivel made a lot of changes to ensure that all the players took part in the game and this did not weaken the side and it added a real buzz to the team. The whole squad played very well but particular praise has to go to Brendan Hawkins for his aggressive tackling, Henry Bowditch and Aiden Smith for their positional play at full back and Aaron Briatore, Lewy Fry, Ollie Perkins and James Ruddle for their hard work in the tight.

It was a great game of rugby played in very rainy conditions by two sides who wanted to run the ball. It was very well refereed by the Sherborne coach who allowed the game to flow and spoke to both sets of players to explain his decisions.

Try scorers     Harry McHugh 4   Brendan Hawkins 1         Conversions     Karl Morgan 1