U14 A 36 Healthfield & Waldron 17, 9 November 2008
U14 B 27 Maidstone 5, 9 November 2008
U14 A 10 Thanet 15, 26 October 2008
U14 A v Upminster, 12 October 2008
U14 B v Thurrock, 28 September 2008
Medway U14 A 12 Westcliff 5
We arrived at Westcliff rugby club determined to show this team who Medway Rugby Club’s under 14’s were.
For the first time in the season and the beginning of December the sun was shining and our spirits were high. We were determined not to let them see their end of the pitch and we pushed hard to score our first try with a superb run from Rhys Burns, who stunned us when he fell just before the score line only to get back up and push the ball to the line! Westcliff wanted to get back at us, hard! We were defending on our line with some big hits from Henry Butler & Ashley Banfield. We had the ball after our great defensive efforts and as we passed the ball around, Jack Baulch ran with determination and dived over the line to score Medway’s 2nd try! He also gave us another 2 points for the conversion. This made the score 12 – 0 to Medway at half time coming off the pitch with our heads up high.
As the second half started, Westcliff were angry and wanted to get back at us, and were really trying to. Medway put up a good fight but after defending our line for a long time they finally got over the line to score and to make the score 12 – 5. We continued to hold them off until the final whistle blew, what a game!
Henry Butler
Today’s match was a good one to be a part of! In the first few minutes Charlie Dalrymple scored the first try running half the pitch at great speed and then Freddie Taylor got the conversion to bring the early score to 7-0. It wasn’t long before Charlie scored again with another superb run and Freddie Taylor getting the conversion again to bring the score to 14-0. But then Westcliff got through our line which had been brilliant at holding them off, and they scored, followed by a conversion to bring the score to 14-7. By now it was the second half and Westcliff were getting very annoyed that they could not break our lines again so they started putting players from their A team on in a attempt to score another try. We had them rattled!. Unfortunately it worked and they scored again but they did not get a conversion so the score was 14-12. There was a lot of strong play and determination from the whole Tigers team to hold them off. Throughout Adam Barnett was like a bulldozer!. When he had the ball he normally had 3 or more hanging on him but he still kept going until most of their forwards were hanging off of him! To make sure we won, Tom Dennis scored a fantastic last try making the score 19-12 and the Tiger’s victorious!.
Glenn Williams, Hooker.
Medway U14A 10 Shelford 17
Another magnificent morning on the Medway Riviera gave us some fine drizzle but little wind to speak of as Medway 1st’s lined up against a previously unbeaten Shelford side.
The first half was a tough battle mainly played out in the middle of the pitch with the general pattern of play being Medway’s backs making ground to be brought to a halt by some excellent tackling from the Shelford team.
The Shelford forwards were well drilled and managed to turn over ball on a regular basis which was then kicked away by there back row leading to a high number of line outs. Not always Medway’s strength but excellent ball was one from the line outs by Medway in the first half which then started the Medway backs off and leading to ground hog day in the first half as attack was met by stout defences, turn over and lineout.
The scrum was good from both sides with Medway more than holding there own, and forcing a number of penalties from the scrum and the break down of play around the scrum with Shelford forwards not always maintaining there feet.
Despite these penalties and the obvious superiority of the back row the first half remained scoreless.
The second half came and brought with it a number of substitutions with various interchange players being introduced mainly in the forwards which was as much a refection of the opposition and the effort that had needed to be put in by the Medway forwards to combat the Shelford pack.
This brought almost instant success as Lawrence Chittil used his strength to go over in the corner following good work from the forwards in securing the ball. Jack Baulch unfortunately just missed the conversation by a wafer from the touch line.
Obviously Shelford were not used to being behind in a match and the try galvanised them into laying siege to the Medway line for a good quarter of an hour with some resolute defence from the whole team somehow keeping the Shelford side from scoring what looked like inevitable tries, this pressure was finally released by a series of touch kicks from Ashley Banfield and with our much improved line out managing to secure the ball.
Shelford did score again but from open play which started in there half and despite a number of excellent tackles Shelford went in at the corner the conversion was missed, five all.
The second Shelford try came from there forwards winning the ball and taking it again at the corner, the conversation again missed 5- 10. Catastrophe then struck with an opportunist interception try taken by one of the Shelford centres who intercepted a pass through the Medway backs and ran in under the posts the simple conversion was made. 5-17
Despite this the Medway heads did not go down and the performance remained at its high level and following a clearance kick from Matt cross and an excellent chase from Jack Baulch which forced a five meter scrum from Shelford giving the platform for the backs to put ball through the hands for Charlie Dalrymple to go in at the corner and the difficult conversion was missed.
The game continued at high tempo which had been maintained throughout and with no extra points being made the final score Medway 10 Shelford 17.
Medway U14 A 36 Heathfield & Waldron 17
9 November 2008
It was set to be a tough game and it was. A kick off try for Heathfield made a disappointing start to the game. Medway bounced back using the strength in the forwards and the pace in the backs to get a great try from Tom Coyd. Quick recycling from the rucks and great handling and pace from the backs led to more tries from Joe Fish and Matt Cross.
In the second half Heathfield had a tough team talk and brought on their A-team. Medway didn't relax but carried on to be dominant. Same as in the first half, Medway got the ball to the wings and used their speed to get more tries from Rhys Burns, another from Joe Fish and then another from Rhys Burns.
Some handbags under the post on the fourth try from an undisciplined Heathfield team gave Medway a penalty from the kick off. Medway secured 36 points with the help from Lawrence Chittil and Jack Baulch with the conversions. The captain, Tom Coyd, kept Medway disciplined and focused throughout the game.
Medway U14 B 27 Maidstone 5
9 November 2008
On yet another chilly Sunday morning the Tigers stepped out against an eager Maidstone team to prove once a again that they a force to be reckoned with.
The game gave Adam Barnett his first game for Medway and also saw certain regulars play in unfamiliar positions.
Medway started brightly and good handling in the backs and superb scrimmaging from a formidable forwards pack set Rhys Burns over the line, showing superb speed in the process, 5 nil. From the restart Medway retained possession and the forwards set the platform for the backs to move the ball down the line and let Matthew Brightman show his speed and score a break away try, 10 nil. Maidstone then put Medway under huge pressure and after much huff and puff and many failed attempts at breaking through a tough Medway defence led by Adam and Harry Palmer they eventually crashed over to score their first points of the game, 10 – 5.
Half time.
In the second half Medway came out pumped and inspired and ready to go for another half of rugby. Medway immediately moved the ball up field and 2 minutes in saw number eight Zak Gardener pick up from the base of the scrum and run Through the Maidstone defence to score five more, 15 – 5. Medway continued to put pressure on Maidstone in the second half and when Adam went over to cap an impressive debut the game was ours to lose, 20 – 5. Again more pressure, the forwards doing the physical work and when James Anderson gave to ball to Ashley Banfield who had just come on as a substitute, the field opened up and Banfield was able to stroll home for a another try which was converted by captain and fly half Freddie Taylor to make the score 27 – 5. In the closing minutes of the game the battle was in the middle of the field and the forwards bossed by scrum half Ethan Hall who had entered the fray as a blood replacement secured the ball and Medway recorded another victory.
This was another step and step forwards for the Tigers who continue to improve and excite with their mixture of power and pace. The game presented many opportunities to hand out praise to every player in squad but it also presented us with the areas in which we need to improve in, and this improvement will be key to the development of the entire Medway squad. Final score 27 – 5 to Medway.
Written By Lewis Smith
Medway U14 A 10 Thanet 15
The phrase that "It was a game of two halves" was certainly true of this encounter at Priestfields between Medway U14 and Thanet U14. Both sides had same noteable absences due to the schools half-term break but despite the heavy rain at the start, this was a very well contested and exciting game of rugby. Thanet scored a try in the first ten minutes to take a 5-0 lead and they continued to pressurize the Medway defence. The Thanet forwards were strong in the scrum and secured plenty of possession from the rucks. This pressure told and Thanet were rewarded with a second try to make the score 10-0.
Medway responded with some fast attacks through the middle from Charlie Dalrymple and Henry Butler nearly scored a try. Thanet continued to press but some excellent defending from Alex Pitcher and Ashley Banfield kept them at bay and this took its toll with Thanet's Cameron Larnache having to leave the field with a knee injury. We all hope he recovers and wish him well for the rest of the season.
The second half saw some changes for Medway who immediately increased the pressure and began to take control. They got themselves back into the match with a well worked try using all of the backs in a slick move which saw Charlie Dalrymple score in the corner. Medway continued to control the second half with the forwards keeping the pressure on and maintaining the play almost entirely in Thanet's half.
They were rewarded with the equalising try following some more good passing through the back line with Joe Fish finishing with a try. At 10-10, and seemingly on top Medway mus have thought the game was within their grasp. However, Thanet's only real attack of the second half yielded a try taking them to a 15-10 lead. Despite an excellent effort from the entire Medway team, Thanet managed to hold onto their lead and at the final whistle, they were relieved to have won 15-10. Medway's second half showed some good performances from Freddie Taylor, Toby Gerdes-Hansen and Tom Dennis, all of whom contributed well.
Matthew Brightman, Right Wing
Medway U14 A 45 Upminster 14
12 October 2008
Nice soft ground, the sun’s out, perfect conditions for rugby. At 11:00 am on a brisk Sunday morning, the match between Medway and Upminster got under way.
Within 5 minutes the first score was on the board, with a try from Ashley Banfield, which was converted by Freddie Taylor. During the next 10 minutes Medway had managed to secure a 21-nil lead, with tries from James Anderson and Charlie Dalrymple, both again converted. The next try came from a forward in a very unusual position – winger. Unsure what to do, Alex Pitcher ran straight at the opposition, leaving behind him a trail of destruction before crashing over to score.
Alex Pitcher then nailed a further try before the team grabbed a final try before half time. This was a piece of back magic. It was a two on one situation, with James Anderson in possession of the ball and Charlie Dalrymple as support. James did the classic dummy, which sent the defender completely the wrong way, before passing it to Charlie to score. The try was converted by Freddie Taylor, bringing his tally to 5 out of 6. The score on the stroke of half time was 40-nil.
With a few changes to the squads on both sides the second half kicked off. Upminster came back stronger, and scored two tries in the space of 15 minutes, which were both converted. But those tries were only consolation tries. Medway retaliated with one big push and Ashley Banfield managed to bag another try. The final score was 45-14 to Medway, a well deserved victory.
Freddie Taylor, Fly Half
Thurrock 34 Medway U14 B Tigers 24
After a brilliant end to last season the Tigers are looking forward to a good game at Thurrock, this promised to be good. From the start Freddie Taylor did a brilliant job as the Tigers captain and took good control over his team of 14. We had 3 newcomers in the Tigers today and they were Mathew Brightman, Jack Calloway and Toby Gerdes Hansen, it was clear that this is going to be a good season.
In the first half Thurrock was very competitive at the breakdown and this rewarded them with 3 tries in the first 10 minutes none of which were converted,. But when the ball was on their side of the field they gave a penalty so Freddie Taylor, our captain kicked for touched, it didn’t go too far but we now had a line out in their 22. Jack Calloway stepped up to take the throw in the lineout and Harry Palmer crashed over to give the Tigers their first try of the season. Again with some good work from backs and forwards we got the ball into their half again and when there was a break for a scrum Alex Pitcher came on. We won the scrum securely and Rob O’Brien sent his backs on their way but they got tackled and Alex Pitcher lined up for a set of hit ups which sent him to 5 metre line and he off loaded to Harry Palmer who scored the second try of the Tiger’s season and we knew we were back in the game when Freddie Taylor converted it. And that ended the first half 12 – 15, to Thurrock.
After some encouraging words from Freddie Taylor and Tony Martin we set off to play the second half. After a try from Thurrock, we were 12 – 22 down. After some brilliant tackles from backs Nick Webb and Ashleigh Banfield, we were really piling the pressure on Thurrock and it payed off. Thurrock kicked the ball and Dan Hawkridge picked it up and offloaded it to Ashleigh Banfield who scored and again Freddie Taylor converted it. With a set of very strong and powerful scrum’s we started to win the ball against the head thanks to the hooking from Jack Calloway and the pack leadership from Joe Martin who also did and excellent job controlling his forwards. But unfortunately we couldn’t stop Thurrock as they scored 2 tries and 1 of them was converted. But we stilled played are best and Freddie kicked the ball into their half which we retained and we scored using Mathew Brightman our new winger who sped past the Thurrock defense and up the wing to score a try. One of the quotes from Tony Martin is that we came off the pitch smiling because we knew we played well. What an improvement on last time the Tiger’s played Thurrock we lost by about 60 - nil and today we lost 24 – 34. A great start.