EAST LONDON WIN 29-8 IN THE CUP AGAINST KINGS CROSS STEELERS

Cup victory under the lights
East London progressed to the second round of the Essex Intermediate Cup with a convincing 8-29 away win over Kings Cross Steelers under the floodlights on Friday.
The game was a classic local derby with both sides sharing the clubhouse facilities at Memorial Park in West Ham and there was very vocal support for both teams.
It was East London as the away side who were quickest out of the traps first and dominated the early exchanges. A quick tap and go penalty by scrum-half Alex Mylchreest had the Steelers defence in disarray but the visitors knocked on close to the line.
There was no let up in the early pressure and right wing Sean Cooper scored the opening try on nine minutes. Number eight Dan Bracken picked up from the back of a scrum and passed to Mylchreest who put Cooper in for a try in the right corner. Fly-half Ryan Billinghurst’s conversion hit the upright from wide right.
On 16 minutes hooker Sam Ames-Redding thought he’d scored but was held up on the line. Second row Eoin Kelly then knocked on as he tried to grab a difficult offload to score.
Steelers narrowed the gap to two points with a penalty and despite good pressure East London didn’t score again until close to the break. A break by pacy full-back Max Stanyard created the opportunity for left wing Bill Brown to score. Billinghurst floated over a conversion from wide on the left to make it 3-12 to the visitors at half-time.
The lead was extended on 60 minutes. Another quick break from Mylchreest teed up Brown got his second try of the night. Billinghurst again converted.
Steelers scored an unconverted try on 66 minutes before East London hit back four minutes later. A tap and go penalty by outside centre Will Brown now standing in at scrum-half set up replacement hooker Lewis Bourke for a try. The conversion was missed. As the clock ticked down Bourke turned provider for replacement Murray Dunn to score his first try for the club. The conversion was missed.
Head coach Eddie Gooby said: “Both sets of supporters created a great atmosphere and all 20 players put in a shift. It sets us up for a good week of training ahead of a tough game at home against London 3 Essex leaders Chelmsford on Saturday.”
East London 1st XV versus Kings Cross Steelers:1. Ben Hogan; 2. Sam Ames-Reddin; 3. Mantas Urbonavicius; 4. Dave Gibson; 5. Eoin Kelly; 6. Nick Parrott; 7. Simon Edscer; 8. Dan Bracken; 9. Alex Mylchreest; 10, Ryan Billinghurst; 11. Bill Brown; 12. Joe Kelly; 13. Will Brown; 14. Sean Cooper; 15. Max Stanyard. Replacements: 16. Adrian Samuel; 17. Lewis Bourke; 18. Ben Stern; 19. Murray Dunn; 20. Lachlan McKenzie.