Maidenhead Under 19 Colts 42, Northampton Under 19 Colts 0

LED BY five-try hero Tom Guest, Maidenhead under 19 Colts ripped apart visitors Northampton at Braywick on Sunday and catapulted themselves into the semi-final of the National Cup.
Apart from a 20 minute period in the first half, when Northampton unsuccessfully camped on Maids’ try-line, the boys from Braywick had too much guile, subtlety and pace out wide for their supposedly senior opponents.
They also had the highly-rated Guest who at No.8 was awesome whether defending around the rucks and mauls, coming off the back of the scrum or lineout, joining the backs and slicing through the midfield, or becoming the overlap man.
On many occasions it looked as though Northampton did not want to tackle him, when in truth they simply could not.
Maids scored seven tries without reply, all of them by spreading the ball back and forth across the pitch, or by running the ball back on the counter-attack.
The handling and passing was a joy to watch, and although the visitors did not possess the best defensive set of three-quarters – the style with which Maids shredded their opponents was unabashed.
Well before the end, Northampton lost the plot, and what little promise they showed in the first half never materialised after the break.
Northampton’s forwards were useful, but apart from that early period of pressure, Maids cleverly never let them see the ball.
In front of the best crowd seen at Braywick this season – including 1st XV games – Guest gave Maids the lead on three minutes when he strode home down the left flank.
Nils Mordt was successful with the conversion, although he was to slot just one more from the next six attempts.
Maids did not get back across the halfway line for another 20 minutes, but their defence held firm, marshalled by their centres, and when they did finally move into Northampton’s half they scored.
After a chip and chase from Tom Evans had won Maids a lineout, Guest came off the back of the line to accept the ball and crash over on the blind side.
Three minutes later Nils Mordt burst through and off-loaded to flanker Stuart Douglas, who dived over from five yards.
With Northampton trying to recover, Maids scored tries in the minute either side of half-time to take complete control. Guest was again the spare, and unstoppable, man out wide – Northampton barely laying a hand on him – and just after the turnaround he bagged his fourth try when, as casually as you like, he was fed the ball from a Northampton knock-on and strolled in from the halfway line with 29 other players unable to get close to him.
On 42 minutes the score became 34-0 when Matt Ansell touched down in the corner with Northampton hopelessly stretched.
As if by way of light relief, from a loose ball in the middle of the park, skipper Simon Ward for once decided not to spread the play but instead produced a deadly accurate 35-metre drop goal.
It was rubbing salt into the wound.
Appropriately Guest had the last word as Northampton hoofed the ball down field for Evans to set up a counter – and once again Guest glided through the demoralised visitors for the final score.
The referee ended the game five minutes early as if in sympathy with Northampton, who can have no complaints about the method of their dismantling or the winning margin.
They were simply steamrollered by a confident, well-drilled and exceptional Maids outfit. Roll on Bath in the semis.