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U16Bs complete double over Reds
Maidenhead U16B 36 v Redingensians U16B 5 Sunday 21st March 2010 |
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On a bright spring day both sides started tentatively, finding it difficult to stay onside at the ruck and maul. As a result, the opening phases were a succession of penalties with either side moving into the other’s half by means of the boot. In the end, Maidenhead varied the penalty theme, taking a quick tap and driving up to the line. Another penalty and another tap and go and Ed Kaye was driven over. 5-0. There was then a period of concerted Redingsenians' pressure at the end of which Maidenhead stole the ball and drove out of their 22. A couple of plays later and the Redingsensians winger dropped a cross kick, Ben Scolari drove on and, tying the defence in, produced quick ball. The ball moved to Scott Atherton, who ignored the overlap, and cut back to score under the posts. He converted this 12-0. Maidenhead began to play more freely and there were some good incisive running from Niall Collins, Dhruv Surya and Greg McHugh. There were several substitutions at half time, including Kaya Baxter for his first game on returning from injury and Fred Reid in the centre. Maidenhead started on the front foot, winning the Redingensians scrum as the kick off had not gone 10 metres. They moved through several phases, providing quick ball and running strongly until Ed Kaye crashed over for his second try. Scott Atherton added the conversion 19-0. Maids had another good passage of play which was stopped by conceding a penalty for holding on after a tackle. They then failed to organise to face the penalty so a poor kick was allowed to roll into touch with a gain of some 50 metres! Good defending and a good clearance kick took play back to their 10 metre line. There was another scrappy period of play before Maidenhead put together another drive and were held up over the line. From the attacking scrum the ball moved down the back line for once and Sam McCarthy scored to make the score 24-0. Maidenhead didn’t handle the kick off well and conceded a scrum through accidental offside. However both sides were becoming tired and after the some mauling, especially by Callum Hull, the ball ran loose. Alex McCulloch picked the ball up and ran 65 metres through some half hearted tackles to score under the posts. Scott Atherton converted 31-0. In what looked like the finale, Maidenhead again drove down field and, despite giving away another “silly penalty”, recovered the ball from the line out and Ed Kaye drove through and scored his third try 36-0. Redingensians however came back from the kick off and drove into the Maidenhead 22. This time the defence was not able to turn the ball over and Redingensians scored. It was not converted 36-5. One might have thought that that was that, but again Redingensians, came on. It looked like they would score again and Maidenhead had some desperate tackling to do to keep them out. On the last play, they were driven back and the ball eventually rolled into touch for the end of the game. Squad: |