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Pride of place this week must go to the U17 Junior Colts who beat Blackpool 14-7 in an exciting game at Park Lane.
The visitors had a strong wind at their backs in the first half and they moved the ball well to score an early try. Sedgley may have been unlucky as there seemed to be a knock-on in the build up, but if that was a refereeing error it was one of very few in this game.
Sedgley came back well, battling their way upfield through some strong forward play, and Blackpool’s only other first-half scoring opportunities came from longish penalties, which were missed.
SP had looked slightly the better of the two teams, though Blackpool had two outstanding players at 8 and 10. The visitors almost scored what would have been a killer try early in the second half, but Sedgley survived to establish a platform in the Blackpool half.
It was good, hard, no-frills rugby, but the vital try was a long time coming. Eventually centre Karl Wilson scored and Matt Bradley added the equalising conversion, though he was off target with a penalty shortly afterwards.
Sedgley had a fright when the tall Blackpool left-winger almost got away, but intense pressure on the visitors’ line finally resulted in a try, scored wide out and converted by excellent scrum-half Bradley.
This was a committed performance from the Sedgley boys, and an enjoyable if bruising game, with much good rugby from both teams.
I’m not sure what is happening with the Senior Colts. They were scheduled to play Widnes in the Lancashire Cup, but this game appears not to have taken place. Our team is at home, I believe, this Wednesday (Feb 6) in a rearranged league game against Leigh. I will endeavour to find out about the Widnes game then.
Our Junior Teams were in action in the final group round of what is now called ‘The Blacksticks Blue’ Challenge. The new name refers to a Lancashire-made cheese, of which you can learn more from the competition website; there’s a link, below, in the results section.
Our under 16s travelled to Preston where they lost a close game 10-18. Sedgley had the wind behind them in the first half and soon led 3-0 through an Alex Reilly penalty. But Hoppers had a big pack and we were unable to achieve our customary dominance in that area.
A forwards’ try and a drop-goal gave Preston a 10-3 half-time lead; Sedgley had applied pressure but had come away with nothing to show for it.
Things went better in the second half as the Sedgley pack lifted their game. After much pressure Ryan Purcell dived on a loose ball to score a try; Reilly converted to level the scores.
However, Preston regained the lead with another drop-goal 5 minutes from the end, and sealed their victory with a late try from a driven line-out.
There were no moans from the Sedgley camp. “The referee was excellent and Preston took their chances where we didn’t,” was John Pepworth’s view.
Meanwhile, back at Park Lane, our under 15s were playing Tyldesley. I saw about 40 minutes of the game and I was impressed. Obviously Tyldesley are not the best team around, but our lads played with skill and pace, especially in the first half, which we dominated with the freezing gale at our backs.
Two early tries were scored, by Jamie Kettleborough and Phil Watt, but much pressure and almost total scrum dominance was not rewarded until Kettleborough scored again, just before half-time. Two successful conversions by Tom Egan gave us a 19-0 lead to face the wind.
A rarity in junior rugby is the really top class goal-kicker. Tyldesley had one of those at 10, and two sweetly struck penalties quickly reduced our lead to 19-6. It was important that Sedgley should score next, and they did, a really good team try, finished off by the exceptional pace of Cormac McGivney.
It was just as well. Tyldesley scored from the restart, wide out in the right corner, and the touchline conversion attempt struck a post. Sedgley had the last word, an 80-metre try, man-of-the-match McGivney once again the scorer.
Egan’s conversion made the final score 31-11. This team has made big progress this season.
Earlier our under 14s had lost 14-24 at home to Fylde. It’s not easy to get information from this team but Fylde have put a report on the competition website in which they have even taken the trouble to name the Sedgley scorers; my thanks to them.
Sedgley had first use of the wind but Fylde scored directly from the kick-off. Two tries by Dominic Barrow, the first from a tap-penalty, the second an interception, plus two Jack Faulkner conversions, gave Park a 14-7 half-time lead.
Fylde levelled the scores early in the second half, took a 19-14 lead with another try, and finally made the victory safe with a fourth try in the last play of the game.
The draw for the knock-out stages of the Junior Challenge is due to be made later this week. I’ll bring you the news next time and attempt to explain the system, always assuming I can understand it myself.
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
13/02 Leigh (A)
17/02 Caldy (A)
20/02 Eccles (H)
24/02 Kendal (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 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) W 14- 7
10/02 Warrington (A)
17/02 Bury (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) L 10-18
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) W 31-11
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) L 14-24
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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