U13Bs versus Windsor

9th December 2007

Having lost the previous 4 fixtures against local rivals Windsor, Maidenhead B team faced a difficult challenge away to their Berkshire counterparts on Sunday.

With Lewis Kiddell back in the ranks after a long lay off through illness, and virtually a full team to choose from, Maids were confident of an upset. The game started brightly with the well drilled Maidenhead pack rucking well, and turning over plenty of ball for the backs to utilise. The tone was set when in the second minute Alex Brown came up like a steam train and hit his opposite centre so hard the poor boy’s father must have felt it. Maids were camped in the Windsor 22 and it wasn't long before their pressure was rewarded with a great forwards try. Explosive rucking by James Preston and Josh Rolls enabled clean ball for number 8, Matthew Martin to pick from the base of a ruck and drive through 2 defenders to score his first try of the season. Freddie Carter knocked over the conversion to give Maids a seven point lead. Fears of a Windsor backlash were soon gone when Maids took control of the restart and drove the ball back upfield into their 22. Due to terrible weather conditions, handling was difficult and both teams made errors meaning possession was frequently exchanged. However the Maidenhead scrum was functioning so well it rarely mattered what side had the put in, as the outcome was often the same, Maidenhead ball. The Windsor backs looked dangerous with the ball in hand, but good defending by Emi Repetto and another huge hit from Alex Brown kept them at bay. With 2 minutes of the half remaining, Maids scored again. More good work at the breakdown enabled Harry Hoxley to get his hands on the ball, and like a man possessed, smashed through the home defence to finish from 20 yards and register his first of the year. Halftime and Maids were 12 points to the good, Rocky Buttons was a happy man. Ecstatic with the performance and delighted with the news that he was next in line to fight Floyd Mayweather, his fighting spirit clearly rubbed off on the boys.

The second half saw Maids make changes - Simon Bourne replaced Ruari Evans, Adam Bowler replaced the injured Alex Brown, Ryan Jones came on for Spencer Komen and Tom Madelin replaced Will Brockwell. The half started as predicted, Windsor came out spitting blood, seething at the result of the first half. The first 5 minutes were tight with both sides turning each other over and making some errors.

The front row of Ciaran Warner, Simon Bourne and Michael Matera were dominating the scrums and Maids were winning plenty of ball. Freddie Carter looked extremely comfortable at fly half and Josh Rolls was fantastic, clearing rucks by himself and always there quickly to the breakdown. After good driving by the Maidenhead forwards into the Windsor 22, Maids were awarded a penalty which was taken quickly by Michael Matera. It seemed as though he wasn't going to make the line, but supported well by his forwards, he managed to drive over for the third try of the game. Alex Matthews then gave way to Robin Byrne on the wing, and all the impact men were on.

Windsor were desperate to get themselves back into the game but time after time were simply running into a purple wall that would not budge. Tackling from Repetto and Kiddell in the centre was especially impressive. Maidenhead by this point had the Windsor forwards huffing and puffing, winning all of their rucks and most of theirs. Joe Avis caught the eye at scrum half with some excellent passing, and quick responding to loose ball. With just a minute left in the game, a maul on the halfway line seemed to have been held up until somehow, fly-half Carter came out with the ball and scorched in from 50 metres to make the final score an extremely impressive 22-0 to Maidenhead. It looked as though the home side might steal a consolation try right at the death, but a fantastic tackle from Bourne gave Maids their first clean sheet of the year.

It was by far and away the best performance the B team have put in this year, and in honesty the man of the match could have been given to most of the side. However, after much discussion and deliberation, the award was jointly awarded to Harry Hoxley and Josh Rolls for their fantastic performances.

Maidenhead team: Matera, Warner, Hoxley, Evans (Bourne), Preston, Rolls, Martin, Komen (Jones), Avis, Carter, Repetto, Brown (Madelin), Matthews (Byrne), Brockwell (Bowler), Kiddell