Henley v Windsor Lions U 10's
15th February, 2004by Jamie Pyatt
The listing was posted by
Henley 25 Windsor 0
It seems a bit odd to hail a 25-0 defeat as one of the best games the Lions have played - but that was the case until man-of-the-match Nick Trott was taken off concussed.
Windsor were always going to be up against it with skipper Seb Moseley injured and regulars Danny Moseley, Oliver Donoghue and Billy Richardson sidelined.
But with talent in depth Josh Hutchison went on the wing with Adam Scaffardi going into hook and Nick Trott coming in from the Tigers to run the backs from fly half.
Windsor lost to a "golden try" to Henley at our own tournament in extra time of the final and were anxious to take revenge and went out against the opposition like terriers.
Three times in the first three minutes they could have scored with either the final pass not being made or desperate Henley tackling pulling them down inches short of the line.
In fact once Windsor looked to have scored but the ref was so far away from the action once again that he could not decide if it was over or not and disallowed the effort.
Henley weathered the storm and then began to run hard and fast at the Windsor team.
I have never seen the boys tackle like it with Alex Wilson upending anyone who came near him with the ball and Nick Trott scything down the twice-his-size opposite number.
Louis Murphy on the wing and Oliver Webster and Robert Moran in the centres along with Hutchison repeatedly banged their opposite numbers over with tackles to make you wince.
Windsor became resurgent with Henley wondering what they would have to do to score.
But seconds before half time Trott was badly hurt after upending the opposition flyhalf who landed knees-first on his head and had to be stretchered off with concussion.
Nick was taken off by paramedics to the Royal Berkshire Hospital where his dad Richard's chief concern was whether or not he would miss the Italy v England kick-off!
However a sympathetic doctor gave a dazed Nick the all-clear in time for Richard to make it back home to his fancy new plasma flat screen and beer fridge.
Meanwhile Windsor had to rejig their line and Sam Hutchison came on for Nick but the incident had badly unbalanced Windsor and the spark and desire had been lost.
Henley ran in five tries, several of which were dubious to say the least, but took the game.
Windsor played their hearts out and know that with a full team the next encounter between them may well have a different outcome but that sadly will have to wait until next season.
TEAM: Kubiena T, Scaffardi A, Wilson A, Pyatt D, Trott N, Moran R, Murphy L, Hutchison S, Hutchison J, Webster O