U14s slay Fez Heads

Maidenhead U14 28 v Saracens U14 10

Sunday 20th September 2009

On a bright Sunday morning Maids embarked on the second game of a tough season of fixtures ahead. Conditions favoured good running rugby.

Initial exchanges between the teams were equally contested with neither side taking a backward step.

Saracens put the first points on the board after a ball popped out the side of one of the rucks and the Sarries' winger took full advantage sprinting half the length of pitch and cleverly cutting inside, standing the full back Aaron Whetton up and a quick shift of feet saw him go over in the corner. The resulting conversion was missed (0 - 5).

Saracens then began to pile on the pressure, keeping the ball out of the forward duel which they were increasingly losing and using their running backs effectively. Only resolute defence from Ben Rakkar-Thomas and Tom Stileman in the Maidenhead backline prevented Saracens from going over again.

Maidenhead forwards were winning the battle up front and decided to forge in to the Saracens' half with some neat and controlled rucking and mauling with very good support play. Off the back of one of the moves, Callum Burston put the ball up his jumper and made 30 yards, just short of the Saracens' try line. Great support play once again set the platform for Hamish Rosser to squeeze in under the Saracens' defence with a classic front row forward try.

A difficult conversion, 7 metres in from the touchline was well converted by inside centre Lee Neale. (7 - 5).

Maids once again targeted Saracens through the middle and after many phases saw Jody Dance driven over the line only to be held up.

Half time: Maids 7 v Saracens 5.

Maidenhead started the second half with real purpose, but there was always the threat of Saracens' fast backline. Sarries effectively moved the ball down the backline to their speedy wingers, only to be confronted with the hard tackling of the Maidenhead backs. Man of the match Ben Rakkar-Thomas put in several timely hits to stop Saracens in their tracks. On the other flank Jacob Farrell and Tom Stileman were equally busy and effective.

The Maidenhead pack were winning the forwards' duel taking at least 5 against the head in the second half alone. This proved decisive as Saracens tried to move the ball more and more as the game went on, and the handling errors crept in.

A re-shuffle of the team proved decisive 10 minutes in to the second half. A sweet chip over the advancing Saracens' backline by replacement flyhalf Matt Price, saw the ball bounce up kindly to the advancing Maids' winger Jacob Farrell, just over the halfway line. He pinned his ears back and outsprinted the Saracens' fullback for a try. Lee Neale once again had a tough conversion, which he duly dispatched. (14 - 5).

Saracens came back hard at Maidenhead, once again using width, and scored a good try after sucking the Maidenhead players into midfield and scoring wide with there pacey winger. The following conversion was missed. (14 - 10).

With 5 minutes left on the clock, the game could have resulted in a nail biting conclusion, but Maids had other ideas. They went straight for the throats of the visitors, who were showing the toll of a hard game.

Maids won a scrum 10 metres from the Saracens' line. Great country for a forward try, and Maidenhead didn't disappoint. Scrum secured, No 8 Owen Langstone picked up at the base after a clever dummy run from now scrum half Lee Neale, left him with an open run at the winger and scrum half. Great support play from Harry Kealey drove the maul forward and Callum Burston peeled off to dive over. One for the forwards.

Lee Neale stood up once again and did not disappoint with the conversion. (21 - 10).

Surely game over, but after seeing a great forwards try, the backs decided to join in the action. A great take under the high ball saw fullback Peter Watt offload to Ben Rakkard Thomas, who jinked his way 40 metres through the Saracens' defence only to come 2 metres short. But Tom Stileman was there on his shoulder to pick the ball up and dive over under the posts. Once again Lee Neale delivered the extra points. (28 - 10).

FINAL SCORE Maidenhead RFC U14 (28 - 10) Saracens RFC U14

A true team performance by Backs and Forwards alike, and very encouraging for the tough season ahead.

Team: George Kingsley, Hamish Rosser, Jody Dance, Rhys Rolle, Callum Burston, Raman Sehota, James O'Connor, Owen Langstone, Peter Watt, Simon Graham, Lee Neale, Jacob Farrell, Ben Rakkard Thomas, Tom Stileman, Aaron Whetton, Matt Price, Max Barnes, Harry Kealey.