Only an alert bit of late play from an Ipswich player stopped Colchester’s under-nines Vikings from beating their Suffolk rivals.

Ipswich opened the scoring, but Colchester, played to their strengths by keeping the ball tight.

With Thomas Smith popping the ball up for him, Liam Beeton made yards and, supported by Alex Clack, won a series of free-kicks from which Conal Corcoran plunged over in each half.

However, the final play of the game saw an Ipswich interception that allowed them to grab a 10-10 draw.

Ipswich A took an early lead in the second game, before Corcoran narrowed the deficit and Hamish Comonte nipped over after some ball carrying by Aaron Geraghty, but the Suffolk side eventually won 15-10.

Vikings squad: Alex Clack, Conal Corcoran, Liam Beeton, Thomas Smith, Finn Corcoran, Reben Bentley, Aaron Geraghty, Josh Waylett, Hamish Comonte.

Colchester under-nines Saxons were equal to Ipswich B in the early stages of their game, before defensive pressure started to tell and several turnovers sealed a 30-10 win for the Suffolk side.

Saxons Squad: William Corner, Adam Wood, Rachel Hoddell, Sam Rigg, James Bunyan,Jack Kelly, James Stephens, Ben Merry, Jack Keeble, Max Drysdale, Chris Ashdown The Saxons then faced Colchester Romans, who had William Gibson dancing through for an early try from the kick-off.

But the Saxons then came to the fore with Sam Rigg, Jack Keeble, William Corner, James Stephens and Max Drysdale all wanting the ball and Adam Wood, Rachel Hoddell and Ben Merry putting Romans under pressure to win 30-10.

James Bunyan got a hat-trick for Saxons, with scores also coming from Keeble, Corner and Adam Wood.

The Saxons then took that form into a game against Ipswich B as four tries by Bunyan and two by Rigg sealed a 30-0 half-time score, before the Romans took over for the second period.