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JUNIORS u16's
Newent U15s 14 Berry Hill U15s 12 With
one win each from the previous meetings between these teams this season this promised to be a tight match and so it proved,
Newent withstanding intense pressure from the visitors to hold on for the narrowest of victories. The
first half was dominated by Newent as they produced some of the their best rugby of the season. A tremendous effort by the pack provided a plentiful supply of good ball, giving half backs Nathan Awford
and Joe Purcell the time and space to run the game with real authority. Two tries
from livewire flanker Sam Goulding, both converted by Tom Devries, gave Newent a well deserved 14-0 half-time lead. The
second half saw a complete reversal in fortunes as the Berry Hill pack seized control in the tight and loose, pinning Newent
deep in their half for long periods. Twice close range charges by Berry Hill’s
No. 8 Louis Overthrow proved unstoppable. On the first occasion he added the
conversion to his own try but on the second the conversion drifted narrowly wide. Ultimately
this proved to be the difference between the two sides but not before a superb defensive performance by the entire Newent
team repelled further waves of Berry Hill attacks, enabling them to close out a 14-12 victory.
This list will be continually updated when more fixtures are arranged so please check regularly Newent
U15s 39 Berry Hill U15s 21 Newent gained
revenge for their narrow defeat at Berry Hill with a hard earned victory which was just reward for their greater enterprise. The Berry Hill pack was at least the equal of Newent’s in the tight exchanges,
but their work in the loose was undermined by persistent offending at the breakdown and Newent’s backs were the more
threatening. Newent took an early lead from a James Jackson
penalty, after Berry Hill infringed at a ruck for the first but by no means the last time.
Berry Hill were quick to respond as the Newent defence failed to get hands on a high kick from their fly half, allowing
their outside centre to gather the ball and run over unopposed for a converted try.
The ‘Sam Goulding show’ put Newent
back in the lead, after they chose to run a very kickable penalty. Open side
flanker ‘little’ Sam’s pacey drive was halted a few metres short of the Berry Hill line but his superb offload
was taken by prop ‘big’ Sam who was unstoppable from that range. James Jackson added the conversion. As half time approached Newent began to exert
control on the game and were rewarded with two more tries. The first came from
a five metre scrum. Berry Hill repelled the initial drive but Newent managed
to slip the ball to inside centre Jack Shayle, who did very well to make it to the line through a crowd of defenders. Then, from a scrum near halfway, slick
passing from the Newent backs created enough space for outside centre James Jackson to get into his stride. Showing power and pace, he beat several defenders before touching
down under the posts and converting his try to give Newent a 22-7 half time lead.
If Newent thought this was a comfortable cushion
they soon had to think again. A period of sustained Berry Hill pressure culminated
in their forcing a five metre scrum. With the Newent pack one player short, after
hard tackling blind side flanker Jack Baker was forced to leave the field for attention to an injured hand, there was no chance
of holding the pick up and drive from Berry Hill’s powerful No. 8, who added the conversion to narrow Newent’s
lead to 22-14. A few minutes later that lead was down to just
one point, as Berry Hill charged down an attempted clearance kick close to the Newent line and touched down by the posts for
another converted try. The momentum
seemed to be with the visitors , but not for the first time this season Newent showed great character and determination to
fight back strongly. Another James Jackson penalty increased their lead to 25-21
but with fifteen minutes left to play it was still anyone’s game. Eventually
Newent relieved the tension by going two scores ahead, prop Tom Devries powering over from a quick tap and go after Berry
Hill were penalised under their posts. James Jackson converted, and then
set up Newent’s fifth try by chasing and catching his own kick before finding
‘little’ Sam Goulding where any good open side should be,
at his shoulder in support, and offloading for Sam to touch down under the posts. ‘JJ’ converted, to put a gloss on the final score that did not fully reflect
the tightness of the match but does demonstrate how much more potent Newent’s attacking play has become over their recent
weeks of all round improvement. Newent 21
Monmouth 5 Both sides rose above the difficult conditions to produce an
entertaining game, with another powerful second half performance from their pack providing the key to Newent’s victory. However, the home team’s backs played a full part in what
was a much more polished all round performance, improved distribution and support play leading to better continuity which
would have produced more tries but for the determined defence from the visitors. Monmouth took an early lead when they created enough space in
midfield to put away their speedy outside centre, who outpaced the Newent defence
from within its own half for a fine solo try. Newent responded well with a series
of attacks through their threequaters but found it hard to break down the stubborn Monmouth defence. The breakthrough came when Monmouth spilled possession close to their line. Inside centre Jack Shayle,
whose strong running and intelligent distribution were impressive throughout, kicked on the loose ball and won the race to
the touch down. Prop Tom Devries added the conversion go give Newent a 7-5 lead which they held until half time. In the second half the Newent pack’s dominance of the
set pieces and loose play, where open side flanker ‘little’ Sam Goulding made a huge contribution with a dynamic
all round performance, enabled the home side to establish a stranglehold on territory and possession which Monmouth were unable
to break. Even so, it took Newent some time to crack the visitors’ defence,
but when the second try came it was worth the wait. Second row, Matt Hodgson
showed great strength as he drove deep into the Monmouth 22, before producing a deft pass which found prop Tom Devries in
support. Devries still had some work to o but finished the move by touching down
near the corner. An excellent conversion from outside centre James Jackson put
Newent 14-5 up. A two score advantage was always likely to be decisive in conditions
which were now very wet and slippery, but Newent put the issue beyond as they added a third try. A powerful drive from a tapped penalty by prop ‘big’ Sam Goulding was halted just short of
the Monmouth line, but No8 Jordan Ralph was in support to take Goulding’s short pass and crash over to complete another
well worked move. James Jackson added the points with another fine kick, leaving
Newent to play out time for a hard earned but well deserved 21 – 5 win. Newent U15s 31 Ledbury U15s 26 Newent produced a thrilling second half comeback, built around a commanding performance by their powerful
pack, to snatch a deserved victory with the last move of the match. Previous encounters between these sides had seen Newent competing well, but not well enough to outweigh Ledbury’s
superior organisation and teamwork. History looked like repeating itself when the hosts turned round 21-0 down despite having
had more territory and possession than Ledbury. Newent pressed hard from the kick off but when they lost possession in midfield Ledbury’s outside centre
broke from within his own half and outpaced the Newent cover to touch down under the posts. Ledbury’s second try followed
a period of sustained pressure on the Newent line. An attempted clearance kick was charged down for another try beneath the
posts. Like the first, this was converted by Ledbury’s scrum half, who was soon touching down himself before adding
another conversion. The first half ended with Newent laying siege to the Ledbury line, but good defence denied the home side
the try which seemed vital if they were going to get back into the game. Newent started the second half the way they finished the first and this time their efforts were rewarded with
a morale boosting try. No 8 Jordan Ralph’s pick up and drive from the back of a 5 metre scrum was halted just short
of the line but prop Sam Goulding was on hand to finish off the move, with fellow prop Tom Devries adding the conversion.
Ledbury responded with another try from their influential scrum half, who followed up his own kick from a penalty to seize
on an arkward bounce and touch down. Although he did not add the conversion on this occasion, at 26-7 up the visitors again
seemed out of sight. Not if the Newent pack had anything to do with it, for they were now dominant in the tight and loose. Their
backs contributed too, as inside centre Jack Shayle set up Newent’s second try with a fine run before captain and hooker
George Gough crashed over from the resultant ruck. Tom Devries added the conversion. 26-14 to Ledbury soon became 26-19 as
Newent‘s lively scrum half Nathan Awford forced his way over from another 5 metre scrum, and a few minutes later it
was all square as prop Sam Goulding mauled his way over and fly half James Jackson added the conversion with a fine kick.
With 10 minutes left to play the force seemed to be with Newent but Ledbury now produced their best rugby
of the half and as the clock ticked down a draw looked the most likely result. Newent managed to force their way deep into
their opponent’s half for a final assault, but Ledbury seemed to have cleared the danger with a good kick up field.
Newent full back Tom Barker gathered the kick near half way and ran it back at Ledbury, beating two defenders before off loading
to open side flanker Sam Goulding. Sam’s typically dynamic run was halted just short of the Ledbury line but his namesake
the prop was in support to drive over for his hat trick and the winning try. Thus the inexperienced Newent team gained their first victory in dramatic style. There is room for further
improvement, particularly in support play and distribution, but they should draw great confidence from the skill and resilience
they displayed in securing this win.
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