Strange occurrences at Park Lane, where our U14 and U15 teams entertained Liverpool Collegiate. The visitors led 5-0 at half-time in both matches; they extended their lead to 10-0 during the second half; and Sedgley scored a converted try with the last move of the game to reduce the deficit to 7-10. In both matches. Quite spooky.

Sedgley began the U15 game well and might have had an early try. Collegiate came more strongly into the game, pinning Sedgley in their own half, and finally broke through to score with five minutes of the half remaining.

The pattern was repeated in the second half. The two teams were very closely matched and there was much enthusiastic tackling. The visitors looked marginally the better side, but I always thought Sedgley capable of breaking away to steal a victory.

However, it was the Collegiate right winger who scored with about five minutes to go, but Sedgley got their reward from a quick tap-penalty when full-back Tom Egan burst through to score under the posts, the same player converting.

An enjoyable game to watch. Dave Wilson was Park’s man of the match.

In the under 14 game, Liverpool Collegiate almost scored twice in the early moments. Sedgley survived but were always hanging on against bigger, more aggressive opponents.

One missed tackle presented the visitors with the position from which they scored their first half try, otherwise Sedgley’s defensive effort was generally very good. Collegiate’s second half try came from a well constructed driving maul, but Park finished the game strongly, Sam Horrocks scoring the try which Jack Faulkner converted.

The two home games were expertly and sympathetically refereed by Nic Brotherton and Des Henry. Unfortunately other clubs seem not to put much store in this, and our under 16s were upset with the refereeing at Aigburth.

Off-sides abounded as our lads struggled to get into the game. Collegiate scored an early try while Sedgley were temporarily down to 14, and that proved the only score of a depressing match.

Sedgley were well below their best, though they defended strongly, as usual. A second-half ‘try’ by Jonathan Marr from Louis Singleton’s kick was disallowed for off-side. Final score: 0-5.

The under 13s provided the only win of the day, 57-22 away, with Sedgley rotating their players to give everyone a fair run out. Collegiate took advantage of this to score their points.
The Senior Colts lost 7-33 at Glossop and the Junior Colts went down 0-27 at Fylde; a poor start to 2008 for our age-group sides, with the one exception.

This Sunday sees the Junior sides in Lancashire Challenge action. The under 14s being at home to Aldwinians, while the U13s and U15s travel to Preston and Broughton Park respectively. The U16s have a bye in the competition, so they entertain Barkers Butts, a high flying outfit from Coventry.

The two Colts teams both have home games, Preston Grasshoppers and Bolton the visitors.

SP Colts & Juniors  League & Cup Results & Fixtures 2007/08

Halbro Colts League
http://colts-rugby.org.uk/halbro for full fixtures, results, tables.

Under 19 (Senior Colts League A)
02/09  Altrincham Kersal (H) L  3- 9
09/09  Preston G’hoppers (A) D 17-17
23/09  Glossop           (H) L 14-26
30/09  Leigh             (H) W 36-12
07/10  Sandbach          (A) L  3-38
14/10  Kendal            (H) W 19- 3
04/11  Caldy             (H) D 14-14
11/11  Chester           (A) cancelled
09/12  Kendal            (A) postponed
16/12  Sandbach          (H) L  0-36
23/12  Leigh             (A) postponed
30/12  Eccles            (A) W 28-17
06/01  Glossop           (A) L  7-33
13/01  Preston G’hoppers (H)
20/01  Eccles            (H)
27/01  Altrincham Kersal (A)

Under 17 (Junior Colts League C North)
02/09  Blackpool         (A) L 24-68
09/09  Bolton            (A) L  5-10
16/09  Clitheroe         (A) W 67- 0
23/09  Fylde             (H) W 33-27
07/10  Kirkby Lonsdale   (H) postponed 
14/10  Eccles            (A) L 19-29
21/10  Fleetwood         (H) L 12-19
04/11  Bury              (A) W 24-13
11/11  Warrington        (H) L  0- 7
18/11  Fleetwood         (A) L 12-14
02/12  Eccles            (H*)L  0- 3  *played away
09/12  Kirkby Lonsdale   (A) L  0-49
16/12  Kirkby Lonsdale   (H) postponed
06/01  Fylde             (A) L  0-27
13/01  Bolton            (H)
20/01  Blackpool         (H)
27/01  Kirkby Lonsdale   (H)

Lancashire Colts Cups
http://clubs.rfu.com/Clubs/portals/lancashire/LancashireRugbyColtsSectionCup.aspx

Under 19
25/11  Waterloo (A) W 17-12
03/02  Widnes   (H)

Under 17
25/11  Waterloo (A) L  0-43

Lancashire Junior Challenge
http://clubs.rfu.com/Clubs/portals/lancashire/JuniorChallenge0708.aspx

Under 16
16/09  Liverpool Coll (H) W 38-19
07/10  Bolton         (H) W 33- 3
04/11  Ormskirk       (A) L  3-33*
16/12  Manchester     (H) W 31- 5
03/02  Preston G      (A)

Under 15
16/09  Broughton Park (A) postponed to January
07/10  Bury           (H) L  6-12
04/11  Blackpool      (A) W walkover
16/12  Bolton         (A) L  5-21
13/01  Broughton Park (A)
03/02  Tyldesley      (H)

Under 14
16/09  Fleetwood      (H) W 33- 5
04/11  Tarleton       (A) W 19- 0
18/11  Southport      (A) W 30- 0*
16/12  Ormskirk       (A) W 12-10
13/01  Aldwinians     (H)
03/02  Fylde          (H)

Under 13
16/09  Widnes         (H) L  0-30*
07/10  Vale of Lune   (A) L  5-24
04/11  Warrington     (H) cancelled by Warrington
18/11  Fleetwood      (A) W 37- 7*
16/12  Liverpool SH   (H) W 30- 0*
13/01  Preston G      (A)

* denotes ‘reported score’ – under competition rules the score difference must not exceed 30.