U12s at Amersham & Chiltern

Sunday 21st November 2004

 

The Under 12s produced some great team displays in ‘challenging’ conditions at Amersham & Chiltern on Sunday 21 November. Battling the elements as well as teams from Chiltern & Amersham and a very strong Buckingham squad, the boys completed a highly satisfying, if somewhat muddy, morning’s work.

Sharks
Sharks started brightly in the cold drizzle against home side Amersham & Chiltern with a 20.0 victory. A major effort from the forwards saw Maids win most of the mauls and early pressure paid off as Back Paul Sayers sprang through a gap 10 metres out to open the scoring. Wing Oliver Evans somehow found a way through heavy traffic to double the score as Amersham defended desperately from prolonged Maids attack. The second half got even better with good distribution by the backs. Maids countered an Amersham scrum and Forward Alex Jones piled in to drive home the third try. Sayers completed the scoring late in the game.Buckingham were up next and quickly showed superior team work. Whilst equally matched for skill, Buckingham’s coordination and workrate was too much for the Maids. Forward Ben Pritchard and scrum half Sam Yates were highly effective, but the team had no answer to the opposition’s lively scrum half. Despite holding their own for long periods, Maids eventually succumbed 20.0.Sharks took on Amersham A/Bs in the final game and were surprised to concede the first try. Pritchard and Back Morgan Davies probed Amersham’s defence, winning a quickly taken penalty on 10 metre line. Even quicker thinking by Paul Sayers saw him drive through a chink in Amersham’s defensive line. Evans and Back TJ Hudson moved the ball around well.Sharks saved the best til last with the final try of the day. From a scrum deep in their own half, Evans took off with a diagonal run, shrugging off flailing tackles. He was finally brought down close to the line and as he fell produced the perfect pass to the onrushing Hudson who'd kept pace with him the length of the pitch. Nothing was going to stop Hudson’s drive over the line.

Marlins
Marlins matched Amersham Bs blow for blow for most of their opening match. Owan Haughey levelled the score after the home side’s try. Backs Tom Simpson, Ashley Marshall and Daniel Tydeman were all lively. Amersham inched ahead with another try before scoring twice more late in the match. Marlins took on a different line up of Amersham players in their second encounter of the morning. Once again, Marlins showed great promise. Forward Tom Holt drove hard and Backs Owan Haughey and Tom Bunn made numerous forays that opened up the game. With good work in the mauls, Marlins spent the closing stages of the first half right on Amersham’s try line but just couldn’t work a try. Amersham’s took a three try lead but the last word went to Marlins, with Back Matt Roberts bravely diving through a sea of bodies to score.

Results
Sharks
Sharks 20.0 Amersham & Chiltern
Sharks 0.20 Buckingham
Sharks 10.5 Amersham & Chiltern

Marlins
Marlins 5.20 Amersham & Chiltern
Marlins 5.15 Amersham & Chiltern