U15 2009/10 Match Reports
Dover 12 Medway 48
7 March 2010
Well what a way to kick start our season after so many cancelled games.
From the off we were flying, with Matt Brightman scoring a try within the first 5 minutes and Jack Baulch converting to put us 7 points up. The game then tightened, with both sides winning ball and coming close. Although we were superior in the mauls – often driving the opposition back 10 metres or more, Dover came back at us and equalised 15 minutes in. Shortly after Lloyd Milner broke through their defence and ran over for a try, only for Dover to come straight back at us with a penalty which they took quickly and we were too slow to respond. Once again the scores were level, but within minutes Lloyd had scored his second of the match, followed soon after by Adam Barnett throwing himself over the try line. Jack’s trusted kicking foot converted to make the score 24 – 12 to us. We then had a heart stopping moment where Lloyd ran the full length of our line to bring the ball out and after some good solid passing, Joe Fish ran from our 22 to score a well earned try, which was duly converted by Jack. 31 -12 at half time.
The second half was tighter. Dover were better organised in the mauls, managing to hold us back. They were awarded a 5 metre scrum twice, but with some of our most dogged, determined defending we held them up on the line. There then followed a period of scrappy play, with errors creeping in. For the final 15 minutes, Medway regrouped and after another lightening run by Joe, who was tackled on the Dover 22 line, Lloyd took the ball to score. This was followed 5 minutes later by Henry Butler and converted by Freddie Taylor on his return from injury. The final try went to Lloyd, scoring his fourth of the match.
It was a great game, with every player giving their all. It was a heartening sight to watch our boys play as a well organised team. We put together some good passing along the line, using the width of the pitch, but reading well when to pass inside. Our defending was determined and our forwards battled hard to win ball. Well done to each and every one of you.
Medway v Whitstable
It was a bright and sunny morning down in Whitstable with an occasional October chill in the air. In the absence of Tony and Caroline, the lovely Kelvin and Bob stepped into the breach and took charge!
We had a good turn out despite our numerous injuries and sick notes.
Whitstable started hard and within minutes Ashley Banfield was off with a cut mouth and literally seconds later Lloyd Milner was of with a rather bloody nose, which unfortunately was the end of Lloyd’s game.
Whitstable continued with a strong game, their pack was very strong and their defence refused to let Medway break away. Unfortunately Whitstable were afforded a penalty kick from our knock on and the first 3 points where on the board.
Tit for tat, with their players off side, Medway also had a penalty kick which Ashley Banfield teased through the posts, to bring us level at 3-3.
Half time
With Whitstable exhausting themselves in the first half, and with only 3 points to show for their efforts, Medway’s superior fitness was outstanding. Medway pilled on the pressure with Jack Baulch scoring 2 trys in quick succession. Score 13-3.
The game was definitely in Medway’s favour with the referee awarding Medway another penalty kick. Ashley Banfield shot it through the posts to bring the score up to 16-3.
With the crowd on their toes and cheering for Medway, Joe Fish was passed the ball.... he ran.... and ran faster.... and he scored! Score 21-3.
With one minute to go and Whitstable now really tiring, Medway took advantage. With a lofted kick from Ashley Banfield and a miss by Whitstable’s fall back, Rhys Burns caught the ball and ran, shadowed by Joe Fish, but Rhys had it in the bag and scored after a superb run.
Final Score 26-3.
Too many players to mention all by name, it was a superb game played by 23 individuals who played as one team. An absolute pleasure to watch. ATTITUDE IS EVERTHING!
HEATHFIELD VS MEDWAY
A LATER KICKOFF THAN USUALL AND MISSING MANY OF OUR KEY PLAYERS AND MANY OF THE EXISTING PLAYERS PLAYING IN UNFAMILIAR POSITIONS; THE PRESSURE SEEMED ON FOR MEDWAY TO PULL OF AN EMPHATIC WIN AND MAKE IT FIVE ON THE SPIN,
WITHIN 5 MINUTES HEATHFIELD HAD SCORED AND CONVERTED FROM SOME VERY BIG FORWARD WORK AND THEN SOME QUICK HANDS BETWEEN THE BACKS, FROM THEN
ON IT SEEMED A CHALLENGE FOR MEDWAY.
HEATHFEILD HAD A PENALTY WICHI THEY PUT DEEP INTO TOUCH AND GOT STUCK IN A TREE, FROM THE FOLLOWING LINOUT LLYOD MILNER WON THE BALL AND BEN CLAYPHAN CLEARED WITH A HUGE KICK.FROM THE NEXT LINEOUT LLYOD WON THE BALL AGAIN AND ASHLEY BANFIELD TOOK A GREAT CROSS FIELD KICK WHICH WAS KNOCKED ON BY HETHFEILD RESULTING IN A SCRUM WHERE A PASS WAS GIVEN TO MATT CROSS WHO SCORED IN THE CORNER, LOSING A CONTACT LENSE IN THE procedure.
GREAT RUNS FROM LLYOD WERE OVERSHADOWED BY THE RISING INJURIE TOLL, BEN CLAYPHAN, BEN TUFF AND RHYS BURNS. RHYS CAME BACK ON TO GREAT AFFECT LINKING WELL WITH MATT CROSS TO haul SOME DARING RUNS, BUT THE HETHFEILD DEFENCE WAS TO GOOD SO THERE WAS NO REAL EN EFFECT, HEATHFEILD WERE THEN AWARDED A PENALTY IN THE TWENTY WHICH THEY RAN, WITH CHARLIE DALRYMPLE PULLING OFF A TRY SAVING DUMP TACKLE THAT WAS THEN PENALISED FOR A SPEAR TACKLE WHICH HETHFEILD OPTED TO KICK , 10-5 TO HETHFEILD, FROM KICKOF HETHFEILD KNOCKED ON INTO THE ARMS OF LLYOD WHO RAN HARD AN OFFLOADED TO ASHLEY BANFEILD WHO OFFLOADED TO JOE FISH WHO PASSED TO CHARLIE DALRYMPLE WHO SCORED JUST WIDE OF THE POSTS 10-10 AT HALFTIME
HALFTIME STARTED SLOW WITH HAEATHFEILD SCORING THEN LLYOD MILNER SCORING AND ASHLEY BANFEILD CONVERTING. HEATHFEILD SCORED ANDCONVERTED AGAIN, THE GAME STARTED TO GET A BIT QUICKER WITH MEDWAY NIGLEING AWAY AT THE HETHFEILD MISTAKES AND PUTTING PRESSURE ON THE HETHFEILD LINE BUT AGAIN TEHRE WAS NO END RESULT, THERE WAS THEN A INTERCEPTION ON THE HETHFEILD LINE BY HETHFEILD WHO RAN A OOD 40 M BUT WAS STOPPED BY RHYS BURNS, HETHFEILD THEN SCORED AND CONVERTED TWICE AGAIN, THERE WAS THEN A PENALTY WHICH ASH KICKED FOR TOUCH ON THE LIONUT ASH KICKED TO THE CORNER AND RHYS TOUCHED THE BALL DOWN AND ASH CONVERTED. 36 – 24 FINAL SCORE
MEDWAY VS CRANBROOK
IT WAS A COLD DAMP MORNING WHEN MEDWAY TOOK ON THE KENT CHAMPIONS, CRANBROOK. THINGS GOT OFF TO A GOOD START THROUGH LLYOD MILNER AND MATT CROSS BOTH SCORING EARLY FOR ASHLEY BANFEILD TO CONVERT. THEN 20 MINUTES IN CRANBROOK SCORED BUT MISSED THE CONVERSION. THEN TWO MINUTES LATER ANOTHER TRY FROM LLYOD, THIS TIME FROM AN EXCELLENT RUN FROM JOE FISH WHO WAS TACKLED ON THE TWENTY AND OFFLOADED TO THE SUPPORTING PLAYER, LLOYD. 21-5 TO MEDWAY AT HALFTIME AFTER A DOMINATING UPHILL INTO THE WIND FIRST HALF.
CRANBROOK STARTED A LOTQUICKER THAN MEDWAY IN THE SECOND HALF KICKING A PENALTY AND THEN CONVERTIGN A TRY.
ASHLEUY BANFEILD MISSED A PENALTY AND LLYOD MILNER WAS PUSHED OUT WHILE ON A GREAT RUN , ANOTHER GRAT RUN FROM LLYOD FOLLWED UP BY GREAT TEAM WORK FROM LLYOD JACK BUALCH AN MATT CROSS , A HIGH TACKLE RESULTING IN A PENALTY WHICH ASHLEY MISSED ,BRINGIN THE FINAL SCORE TO 21-25 TO MEDWAY.
Dover 5 Medway 44
An early start for the trek down to Dover loomed on a bright, sunny Sunday morning. Every player looked the part, turning up in trousers, shirt and the Medway tie. This gave the impression that we are a team of young men and a team of young professionals.
Kick off was 11am on the dot. The whistle blew and straight away, Dover was on the back burner. Medway were in their faces, and the pressure was getting to Dover. The pressure paid off with a floater of a pass from Dover ended in the hands of Medway centre Rhys Burns, who ran the 22 metres to score the try. 5 – 0.
Again Medway were looking in control and through good hands down the back line, Charlie Dalrymple broke the Dover defence and sprinted for the Dover try line. Everyone thought Charlie was in, until a Dover player ran back and tackled Charlie. Nothing came of it and the ball was in Dover’s possession. With Dover on their own line, they kicked the ball into Medway’s half. It was an easy catch for Joe Fish, who sidestepped his way through Dover’s defence. A good sidestep away from the fullback ended in Joe losing his footing, 5 metres away from the try line. The referee then gave a harsh penalty to Dover apparently for double movement.
An attacking kick from Ashley Banfield saw the Dover fullback fail to pick the ball up. Ashley took advantage of this and tried to scoop the ball up into his hands, but the ball hit his foot, then the ball was held up over the line. Medway scrum. The Medway pack won the ball in the scrum, the ball was whizzed out to Charlie who showed great strength getting through 3 Dover players to score his first try of the game. 10 – 0.
Dover kicked off, feeling the strain and pressure Medway were putting on them. A poor Dover kickoff fell nice and easy into the hands of Ashley Banfield, who ran into the heart of the Dover defence. It took something to tackle Ashley, who hit Dover at full speed. Scrum half Ethan Hall popped the ball to Lloyd Milner, who made a powerful run through Dover and left a trail of bodies behind him. With an overlap, he popped the ball to Rhys who went in for his second try of the game. The conversion hit the post. 15 – 0.
After this try, Dover was for the first time in the game, putting pressure on Medway. This led to Medway giving away a penalty, followed by a second for not being 10 metres. But good tackling from Medway saw them keep a clean sheet for now. Again good hands from the Medway back line saw Rhys Burns crash in for his hat trick of tries. 22 – 0. Again from good pressure, Medway were awarded a penalty in the Dover 22 after a high tackle. Ashley Banfield decided to go for goal, but the ball just sailed wide. Again some good hands saw Dan Hawkridge get a well deserved try, with the conversion just going wide.
Half Time. Score 27 – 0
The second half kicked off with Dover looking more promising than in the first half. Inside Medway’s 22, Dover had a scrum, in which their N0.8 picked from the back of the scrum, ran blind and scored in the corner. This was Dover’s only try and only points of the game. Medway didn’t let this get their heads down, and came back at Dover with a try from Jack Baulch. 32 – 5. Straight after Dover started the game again, Lloyd Milner ran through their defence once again. But a superb tackle from a Dover player stopped Lloyd in his tracks.
Again some good running by Lloyd picks the ball up, but was yet again denied a try when the ball was held up over the line. A poor Dover clearance kick was tidied up by Charlie Dalrymple, who danced his way through the Dover players to score between the posts. Again from good hands and an overlap, the ball ended up in the hands of Joe fish, who scored a well deserved try. With Medway on Dover’s 5 metre line, a scrap broke out in which a Medway player was sin binned for retaliation.
A very big well done to all players who attended the match. It was a very good team win.
Medway 36 Bromley 29
20 September
Medway under 15s got season off to a good start with a very solid performance against a strong Bromley side who had a convincing win in their last encounter ,Medway lads were determined to hold their ground and attack on ever opportunity good powerful pick and drives coming out of the forwards Joe and James martin and then swift passing by Ben clayphen and Freddie Taylor out to the backs to give the centres and wingers a chance to show their worth, several runs from Rhys burns eventually proved too much and medways first try of the season went between the post neatly converted by clayphen ,
Bromley not to be out done soon came fighting back to equal the score and again to take the lead 12-7 before stoppage time to allow an injured Freddie Taylor to be taken off the pitch ,
Medway stuck to their guns with fantastic gritted defence as Bromley pounded their way up the pitch only to be stopped on the line by the power of the beast Adam Barnett holding them up before Medway could counter attack a fine clearance kick saw Medway move back into Bromley’s half then a superb display of running by Lawrence chittle to put Joe fish in the corner
Another fine run and good ball handling sent chittle under the post again conversion by Ashley banfield ,
Bromley came back strong and managed to squeeze a try in by the corner post to bring the score to 19-17 in medway’s favour at the half time
A few changes to both teams saw renewed sprits very little in this game a super ten minutes followed as medway’s Charlie dalymple excited the crowed as he charged over the line only for Bromley to do the same then dalymple then Bromley a tit for tat race to see which team would get the final score before the final whistle thankfully going to Medway with a determined run from chittle final score to a nail biting first game was Medway 36 Bromley 29
Well done to all Medway lads for a great start to the season
come on Medway