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U15s nail Newbury Sunday
14th
December 2008 Maidenhead U15s 31 v Newbury U15s 12 |
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For the last two years this fixture has been blighted by ferocious wind and rain. Mercifully the 2008 weather was kinder and a reasonable contest was possible. Maidenhead started brightly in wintry sunshine and made the game safe in a dull and chilly second half, without ever touching the heights of last year’s league-winning campaign. Markus Olivier opened the scoring, breaking through weak defence from a tap penalty after less than two minutes, Dominik Bart adding the conversion. Shocked by the situation, Newbury came back strongly and made good progress up the field through several phases before a well-rehearsed move sent their pacy fullback through a gap in midfield. Mike Winter’s shuddering tackle led to a turnover and Duncan Jones cleared comfortably to halfway. Maids then pressed and pressed the Newbury line with great energy but little precision. Newbury had many chances to clear but never managed it, Bart eventually crossing the line through an exhausted and disorganised defence, and adding another conversion. Newbury came back again, trying to work the ball out wide but failing to find penetration through determined Maids defences. Maidenhead meanwhile played a canny territorial game and reaped their reward when one long kick behind the Newbury fullback bounced awkwardly and Laurence McSwan was in under the posts in the ensuing panic. Bart’s third conversion made it 21 points to nil but, before the half ended, the Newbury Blues had a try of their own, their left winger grabbing a messy interception ten yards from his own line and racing all the way up the field to score under the posts for an easily converted goal. The sun had completely disappeared as the second half got under way and the rugby was similarly duller and chillier. Newbury started the stronger and spent the whole third quarter camped in the Maidenhead half. For all their territorial and possession advantage, however, they could not put points on the board and it was Maids who scored next. Twenty minutes into the half, after a flurry of substitutions by both sides, Tom Eckles finished a sweeping right to left movement with a try in the corner to confirm the 4 try bonus point for Maidenhead. Moments later, there was another try for McSwan, running a great supporting line after a half break by Will Thompson made some space. Finally Newbury scored their own well-deserved second try after battering the Maidenhead line for the last couple of minutes. With other league results going much as expected, Maids U15s lie second in the table on points difference, with the crucial Windsor tie next up in January. Squad: Avery, O’Flaherty, Trevena, Reid (Capt.), Coric, Bart, Winter, Balfour, Basson, Duncan Jones, Eckles, McSwan, Olivier, Anderson, Maguire, Kaye, Nic Jones, Hine, McCulloch, Smith, Thomas, Thompson |
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