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After weeks of weather-enforced inactivity, the Junior sides were all in action against Wirral club Anselmians, the two older age-groups at Park Lane where conditions were excellent.
The under 16 match was a cracker. Two well coached and talented teams, encouraged by a sympathetic referee, put on a fine exhibition of rugby in a competitive but sporting match. Sedgley always had the edge in the pack and eventually ran out 17-0 winners, but the result was in doubt until the final quarter.
The only try of the first half came from stand-off Adam Cheshire who chased his own grubber kick to score, fittingly, as he had shown a willingness to launch his backs from the very start. Despite some early rustiness, the SP pack was driving the mauls and doing well in the line-outs, and Anselmians were mostly confined to their own half.
The visitors, whose own number 10 always looked dangerous, began the second half well and Sedgley’s 5-point lead seemed decidedly inadequate. But, inspired by Richard Newman who pulled off one magnificent (and possibly game-saving) tackle, our boys hit back to take control in the final 20 minutes.
Storming forward play and accurate handling set up both tries. Louis Singleton supplied the final pass for Andy Dauncey to race into the right corner, and a wonderful run by Newman, backed up by outstanding support play, resulted in a try well taken by centre Joe Richardson.
Alex Reilly, who had also had a strong game in the pack, knocked over the conversion.
Our under 15s found themselves up against an outstanding team. They were very big, too, as big as the U16s on the next pitch, it seemed. It is no surprise to learn that Anselmians have reached the quarter finals of the National Cup.
The first half was one-sided as Anselmians scored 5 tries to lead 27-0, but the second half was much more evenly fought. Sedgley showed some fight and got themselves back into the match through some good defending and scrummaging. Only one further try was scored: 32-0.
Piers Marshall was given the SP man-of-the-match award.
I have had no report or score from the under 14 team who were away at Anselmians, but our under 13s lost after leading 27-10 at half-time. Tries had been scored by Oliver Carroll and Ty Newall, two apiece, and by Jack Williams in a first half of speed and precision.
The home team came strongly into the game in the second half. Sedgley had a fight on even to get out of their own half. Our team defended bravely, but a serious injury to Newall was perhaps the crucial turning point. He was still awaiting his ambulance as Anselmians took the lead.
All at Sedgley will wish Ty a speedy recovery.
This coming Sunday, Feb 3rd, our Junior teams are in Lancashire Challenge action, the final round of group games, except for the U13s who have finished.
Under 16s play Preston Grasshoppers (away), U15s have Tyldesley at home, the U14s entertain Fylde.
The positions achieved in the groups will determine which of the three knock-out competitions each side enters. More details when known.
The other team at home on Sunday was the Junior Colts who faced Kirkby Lonsdale. Our boys had lost 49-0 up there (a contender for most attractive setting for a rugby ground in the country, by the way) and when KL scored two early tries one feared the worst.
But there was no further score from either side. I commented above how a good and sympathetic referee can make for an enjoyable game. Unfortunately the reverse is also true. No sour grapes, KL were generally accepted to be the stronger team, if only marginally so; just that it would have been a better game to play and to watch with a different referee.
The team is at home again this Sunday, Blackpool the visitors.
Finally, the Senior Colts. They travelled to joint-leaders Altrincham Kersal where they lost 25-34. No report received, but it’s a better result than recent form would have suggested.
This Sunday the team is at home to Widnes in the Lancashire Cup. It is going to be a busy day at Park Lane if all the fixtures go ahead.
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) W 25- 8
20/01 Eccles (H) postponed
27/01 Altrincham Kersal (A) L 25-34
06/02 Eccles (H)
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 Void
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) W 15- 5
20/01 Blackpool (H) postponed
27/01 Kirkby Lonsdale (H) L 0-12
03/02 Blackpool (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) W 30- 0*
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) L 0-14
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) L 0-30*
* denotes ‘reported score’ – under competition rules the score difference must not exceed 30.
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