Ashford Boys Seal 20th Successive Win
Ashford RFC Under 13s Match Report 19th February 2006
Dover U13s 0 – Ashford U13s 46
This was second time this season that the Ashford U13s had faced Dover. First time around Ashford scored an easy 65-0 home win. This time, for the away fixture, an experimental starting line up was selected and captained by lock Tom Healy. To give the newer boys more game time, several of Ashford’s more experienced players were stationed on the replacements bench.
Since the last encounter Dover had beefed up their forward pack. Rain and a heavy home pitch should have given them an advantage over Ashford’s lighter forwards. However, aggressive tackling meant that Ashford managed to edge the early close quarter exchanges and forced the play into Dover’s half. When, on 3 minutes, the ball went wide down the left, centre Gareth Jenner stepped outside his opposite number and arced around the defensive cover to touch down near the posts.
Five minutes later, from a midfield scrum, Ashford again moved the ball wide, this time to the right. Inside centre Grant Noremac broke through two attempted tackles to touch down close to the corner flag. Ashford’s territorial pressure was maintained throughout the first half and lock George Woodrow and Gareth Jenner added further tries. The half time score was 22 points to nil.
For the second half, Ashford introduced their more experienced players. Within two minutes of the restart, tighthead prop Billy Stevens gathered a loose ball and sprinted from half way to dot down under the posts. Just three minutes later, not to be outshone by a prop, stand-in fly half Adam Batt, spotted a gap in the Dover defence and also sprinted upfield to touch down from 50 metres.
As the rain became heavier, Ashford forced Dover deeper into their defensive 22 metre area. Only a slippery ball and inaccurate passing kept the score from progessing. Eventually, the pressure told on 38 minutes when Jenner again powered through the Dover defence to seal his personal hatrick of tries. And on 49 minutes Ashford’s forwards secured an opposition lineout throw. Adam Batt, who’d reverted to centre, scampered around the blindside and touched down in the corner to score the final points of the match.
Two conversions were kicked by Luke Chinnery and one by Harry Atkins. Player of the week was wing forward Glenn Caton.
With a season to date record of 20 successive wins and 830 points for to just 69 against, Ashford host Kent joint champions Blackheath next Sunday. This encounter will be the acid test of the Ashford boys’ progress.
Dover U13s 0 – Ashford U13s 46
This was second time this season that the Ashford U13s had faced Dover. First time around Ashford scored an easy 65-0 home win. This time, for the away fixture, an experimental starting line up was selected and captained by lock Tom Healy. To give the newer boys more game time, several of Ashford’s more experienced players were stationed on the replacements bench.
Since the last encounter Dover had beefed up their forward pack. Rain and a heavy home pitch should have given them an advantage over Ashford’s lighter forwards. However, aggressive tackling meant that Ashford managed to edge the early close quarter exchanges and forced the play into Dover’s half. When, on 3 minutes, the ball went wide down the left, centre Gareth Jenner stepped outside his opposite number and arced around the defensive cover to touch down near the posts.
Five minutes later, from a midfield scrum, Ashford again moved the ball wide, this time to the right. Inside centre Grant Noremac broke through two attempted tackles to touch down close to the corner flag. Ashford’s territorial pressure was maintained throughout the first half and lock George Woodrow and Gareth Jenner added further tries. The half time score was 22 points to nil.
For the second half, Ashford introduced their more experienced players. Within two minutes of the restart, tighthead prop Billy Stevens gathered a loose ball and sprinted from half way to dot down under the posts. Just three minutes later, not to be outshone by a prop, stand-in fly half Adam Batt, spotted a gap in the Dover defence and also sprinted upfield to touch down from 50 metres.
As the rain became heavier, Ashford forced Dover deeper into their defensive 22 metre area. Only a slippery ball and inaccurate passing kept the score from progessing. Eventually, the pressure told on 38 minutes when Jenner again powered through the Dover defence to seal his personal hatrick of tries. And on 49 minutes Ashford’s forwards secured an opposition lineout throw. Adam Batt, who’d reverted to centre, scampered around the blindside and touched down in the corner to score the final points of the match.
Two conversions were kicked by Luke Chinnery and one by Harry Atkins. Player of the week was wing forward Glenn Caton.
With a season to date record of 20 successive wins and 830 points for to just 69 against, Ashford host Kent joint champions Blackheath next Sunday. This encounter will be the acid test of the Ashford boys’ progress.
posted by Ashford RFC Under 14s @ 11:06 pm
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