The Boot Tournament
Clean Sweep by U11s
Harborough U11s took on Oundle in the first game and started at high intensity and pace. The forwards exerted control at the breakdown and the midfield soon had plenty of possession which lead to tries from Knight, Williams, Timm and Leng all converted by Ralston. The pick of the tries came Timm who blasted through several tackles and drove to the try line to score winning 26-0. Kettering then played Oundle and after competitve forward exchange Oundle won 21-14. The final game between Harborough and Kettering soon saw Harborough take the lead and take control with the forwards improving on good platform with more control at the breakdown. A strong midfield of Knight and Timm continued to present try opportunities scored by Dawson, Timm, Ralston, Marsden and Timm. The pick of tries for this game was a driving run by Boa off the back of ruck and smart pop pass to Marsden who dived to score. Harborough squad was Timms, Sankey, Mathew, Quaid, Wright, Boa, Grahamslaw, Stout, Marsden, Ralston, Timm, Knight, Dawson, Pollard, Leng and Williams.
Market Harborough RUFC
U12s Match Reports
Sunday 7th February 2010
The Boot Festival 2010
Mkt. Harborough U12s v Kettering U12s v Oundle U12s
Market Harborough 10 – Kettering 5
Kettering 5 – Oundle 10
Market Harborough 10 – Oundle 10
Market Harborough U12s played their part in helping retain the trophy in the Mini section’s annual triangular ‘Boot’ festival competition with Kettering & Oundle, battling to a well deserved win against Kettering, and a draw against Oundle.
Harborough started in disciplined fashion against Kettering and put them under continuous pressure for most of the opening half. Eventually second-row Isaac Copson broke through several tackles and opened the scoring for Harborough. A number of well worked backs moves came to nothing although each time Harborough gained ground. Then a tap-penalty set-piece between the forwards saw Jake Cartwright break Kettering’s defence to plant the ball near the corner and give the hosts a 10-0 lead at the break. In the second half the game became more evenly balanced and more heated as Kettering fought back. They were rewarded with a try from their persistent pressure but some excellent defending kept them from scoring a second and the game finished a 10-5 victory to Harborough.
Following the Kettering v Oundle game Harborough took to the pitch again in what turned out to be a game of two halves. Harborough very quickly took the lead as Sam Noble ran half the length of the pitch, jinking past some players and breaking through the tackles of others to score. Harborough had the upper hand for most of the first period but it wasn’t until the start of the second half that they capitalised and scored another with Isaac Copson’s second of the morning. Oundle then began a fightback and after several minutes of dominance had pulled the game level. Despite a valiant and unlucky attempt in the dying seconds to score a winning try by Harborough the game finished 10-10, and the U12s had secured 4 points from a maximum 6 in The Boot competition.