Beccles made the long journey to West Ham to face East London who had already been relegated having failed to win a game in the division this season. The Bulls arrived late but hit the ground running with Luke Wade making a clean break on their first excursion into the home sides half and putting away Tom Harison. Harrison finished clincially in the left corner to give Beccles an early 5-0 lead.

Further Beccles pressure down the left flank saw Adam Edwards pick the ball from a ruck on the East London 22 break down the blind side and touch down in the left corner. A despairing East London tackler made contact after Edwards had grounded the ball however the referee who was well behind play disallowed the score on the basis the touchdown was out of play without consulting the Beccles touch judge.

Beccles may have been guilty of overconfidence as they attempted to run the ball from their 22 to gift the home side a try from a spilt ball. Wade was able to score a penalty just before half time to give Beccles a narrow 8-5 lead. It was clear Beccles had to tighten up their game and seek to put pressure on the home side by playing for territory especially as Chris Hinsley was having a field day disrupting their line out ball. The home side had conceeded over a 1000 points however defended well until under pressure in their own 22.

Wade added a penalty but Beccles then naively continued to try and run the ball out of defence or attempt over complicated passing moves to gift East London possession. The home side gained confidence and scored a try from a loose pass from the base of a scrum and started to gain ascendency at the scrum winning several strikes against the head. With 10 minutes to go they took the lead with a drive following pressure on the bulls.

Beccles finally realised they had to work the touchline and as full-time approached they pinned the home side in their 22. Chris Hinsley gathered a line out and from the drive Adam Edwards again peeled away to score, the referee consulted the home touch judge and much to Beccles relief awarded a try. As the bulls retired to half way to field the kick off and Wade prepared to line up the conversion the referee was in further dialogue with the touch judge who had been persuaded there was a problem with the grounding by the home crowd. The referee then incredulously decided to withdraw his award of the try allowing East London to clear their lines and celebrate their first victory of the campaign.

After a round trip of 230 miles the Bulls were disappointed to lose the game in such fashion. Rugby people are brought up to accept the referees decision is final and that he is the sole arbiter of fact, to allow the crowd to influence a crucial score having already awarded a try is setting a very dangerous precedent. East London put up a committed display and Beccles should not have been in a position to have left the deciding play so late, this farcical finish will however live long in the memory. Beccles man of the match the unfortunate Adam Edwards for his two tries which never were

Beccles team Giddins, Lake, Ling, Johnstone, Edwards, Hinsley, Hall, Wilson, Hoffman, Wade, Harrison, Roberts, Harmer, Frost, Veasey-Lark rep Gedney, Guntrip, Penney