Wisbech head coach Leonard Veenendaal was in a poetic mood after his players notched their second straight Eastern Counties victory last weekend.

The men from the Fens managed to defy a number of first-team injuries to clinch a 31-18 success away at Ipswich YM, and Veenendaal said it was one of his side’s finest victories to date.

“If you had offered me a bonus point loss, given the disruptions leading up to this game, I would have taken it,” he said.

“The lads were outstanding and this game and will rightfully go down as one of the clubs finest hours. They put their bodies on the line and fought like men possessed.

“It was one of the most courageous, gutsiest, never-say-die attitude performances I have had the pleasure to witness on a rugby pitch.

“In years to come these players will proudly be associated for their heroics in the against-all-odds battle of Ipswich.”

James Patrick cancelled out an opening Ipswich penalty with a powerful try early on, before the hosts replied with a try of their own to take the lead.

Skippy Parsons touched down soon after to restore Wisbech’s lead, followed by Patrick’s second.

Ipswich pulled another try back, but Malkin rounded off a superb performance with a score of his own before Parsons dotted down his second to cap a memorable afternoon for Wisbech.

Wisbech, who have climbed into seventh place in the Eastern Counties Division One, take on struggling Beccles at Harecroft Road on Saturday (3pm).