Windsor U13's at Newbury - League
20th March 2005by Dr FT Bosh
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Scrum half Joel Turner considers going for the gap
One day after the completion of the 2005, 6 Nations Tournament, Windsor U13’s travelled across the County to take on Newbury in the final fixture of the County League. After their recent disappointment against Redingensians it was important that the Windsor team put in a good performance and secure the second spot in their Championship.
Newbury kicked off and the ball was well secured by hooker Alex Devereux, as he drove on, Newbury gave up a penalty and full back Chris Laidler kicked his team down to Newbury’s 5 yard line. Ten minutes of sustained pressure from the Windsor forwards brought out the best in the Newbury defence. An Alex Moody blindside charge was pushed in to touch, but at the expense of a Newbury three-quarter who had to retire. Number 8 Jack Williams broke from the back of a maul, but was well tackled by the alert Newbury flanker. The ball was recycled and the ball came out to the backs. Centre Josh Casey took the ball at pace and powered his way towards the Newbury line. Slowed up by the first tackler, he continued to drive on and was rewarded with Windsor’s first score, converted by Laidler..
Newbury did not take the score lightly and raised the tempo of the game. The forwards were determined in the loose and the game took on a more physical dimension. The Windsor pack adjusted their play accordingly and executed their tasks with a fierce, but rather clinical efficiency. Newbury failed to gain any ground from the drives and they were forced to kick possession away. On the counter attack, centre Dominic Murray, (coming in from second row for the injured Richard Ayres), romped his way back upfield. Caught at the half way line, Windsor were given the put in at the resulting scrum. The Newbury three-quarters, pushed up quickly and brought their full back up to counter the threat from Casey. A quick thinking Sam Yeandle, used his first receiver ball to chip over the defensive line and into space behind. Casey sprinted on and this pressure caused a momentary indecision in the covering Newbury defender. Casey pounced on the loose ball, barged past the defence and went in to score his second in the corner.
Newbury tried to nullify this score as quickly as they could and played with a considerable amount of passion. They drove Windsor back to their own 22, but once here, Windsor refused to concede any more ground. Strong tackling from prop Stijn Hanson and James Tunnacliffe slowed up the forwards, Then Sam Yeandle stopped a three-quarter move with a smother tackle that coughed up a knock on, the referee then blew for half time.
In the second half it was more Windsor pressure and an increasingly frenetic, but still determined, Newbury defence that had to cope with it. Alex Devereux was unlucky when his typically bullish and direct charge over the Newbury line was adjudged to be held up, but on the next play Murray’s dummy scissors with Casey, put Murray into a half gap, which he widened enough to break through and score Windsor’s third.
Windsor made some substitutions, with James Cullen coming in on the wing and Tobias Lawton coming on at hooker. Newbury continued to compete. Their powerful Number 8 was tackled well by flankers Max Wilson and Rohan Dhaliwal, ably assisted by scrum half Joel Turner, so the progress was very slow. However Windsor gave up 2 penalties in quick succession and were suddenly on the back foot. Newbury were into the Windsor 22 when a crunching tackle from second row Jack Clemance brought the drive to a halt. Windsor turned the ball over, but the clearance kick didn’t make touch. Newbury counter-attacked up the wing channel and two missed tackles allowed their nippy centre in to score a good solo try.
It was now Windsor’s turn to defend. Newbury tails were up and they began to batter the Windsor line, but over the season this team has showed it can deal with battering. Resolute tackling from the forwards and strong pressure from the three quarters meant that although Newbury had a lot of the possession in the last 10 minutes of the game, they were unable to pick up any points.
When the final whistle went, Windsor had won a good victory against a determined Newbury side and had secured themselves the second berth in their first outing in the County League.
They now have a week off over Easter, followed by their eagerly anticipated tour in Italy.
RESULT
Windsor 17 - Newbury 5
Scorers:
Tries: Casey (2), Murray.
Conversions: Laidler.