By ADAM LAZZARI OLD rivalries will be renewed when Wisbech travel to Lowestoft and Yarmouth on Saturday for the first round of the RFU Senior Vase. Lowestoft and Yarmouth tipped Wisbech to the Eastern Counties Division One title and knocked them out of th

By ADAM LAZZARI

OLD rivalries will be renewed when Wisbech travel to Lowestoft and Yarmouth on Saturday for the first round of the RFU Senior Vase.

Lowestoft and Yarmouth tipped Wisbech to the Eastern Counties Division One title and knocked them out of the Junior Vase last season.

Everyone involved with the Fenland club will be looking for a big response from Saturday's disappointing 19-6 home defeat to Canvey Island in the London Division Three North East.

Wisbech head coach Steve Drawbridge said: "The guys know they let themselves down on Saturday. We were off the pace and well below par. Canvey Island are one of the strongest sides in the division and we were still in the game until the last 20 minutes, despite not playing well, so it was there for the taking.

"The players got together in a huddle after the game and I let them talk. I didn't need to say anything. It wasn't down to any individual we just didn't turn up as a team.

"It will be a traditional, hard-fought battle against local rivals on Saturday and all of the guys know they need to raise their game."

Shane Vickers' penalty kick gave Wisbech a 3-0 lead on Saturday but the visitors equalised with a penalty of their own on 28 minutes.

Wisbech restored their three-point lead with a further penalty two minutes later, but Canvey Island responded strongly, opting for a line-out and drive from a penalty in the last two minutes of the first half.

The Wisbech defence held firm for five phases, until it was finally breached and the conversion made it 10-6 to the visitors at half-time.

Canvey Island dominated the early stages of the second half and two successful penalty kicks in the first 18 minutes allowed them to build a 10-point lead.

Wisbech responded with the best move of the game that saw Will Pettit slip the ball quickly to Tom Long and on to Vickers and then to James Napier who was left with a too much to do allowing the oppositions' cover defence to deal with the threat.

A successful Canvey Island penalty kick was the last play of the game.

Saturday's match kicks off at 3pm.

A heavily depleted 14-man Wisbech seconds suffered a 52-0 Norfolk Merit League Division One defeat at Norwich Union on Saturday.

They are at home to Bourne first team in a friendly at 3pm on Saturday.