Match Reports
Under 14s Report
Newbury B U14s 15 - Tadley Tigers U14s 24
Tadley Tiger U14s won Tadley junior sections first ever Silverware with a bonus point win to secure the Berkshire U14s Division 2 title.
Tadley went into the match in good spirits though due to the Easter holidays they were short of a few players but were able to welcome back the fit again Harry Williams and had a total of 16 players.
From an early set piece Tadley showed how they intended to play putting pressure on the Newbury half backs and Joe Kearney was able to steal and pop the ball to Skipper Matt Smith who ran in from the 10 metre line. Tom Kinsella converted.
Newbury showed they meant business when some slick passing put their speedy winger away for an unconverted try. This was followed by Tadley going back on the attack making ground from quick tap penalties with charges from Smith, Kearney & Jamie Lyons. Smith was held up over the line and when Tadley were pushed off the resulting scrum it looked like the chance had gone but Charlie Johnson countered well from the kick and Tadley had a scrum on the 22. The front row of William Molton, Brandon Seal and Aaron Williams were under pressure all game from the big and well drilled Home sides front row but they managed to win the crucial ones and Smith again showed his power to go over for another converted try.
The Tigers went into the break with a 9 point lead but knowing they still had lots of work to do, just to win the match let alone get the elusive bonus point. As Newbury finished the half in ominous form and it was only last ditch cover tackles from Ed Fry and Pat Kelly that kept the Tadley line intact. They weren’t helped when skipper Matt Smith had to go off with a dead leg. The team rallied at the loss of their skipper and they couldn’t have had a better start to the 2nd half than what was undoubtedly their best try. A deep kick was fielded by Pat Kelly who countered and cleverly kicked ahead, supported By Joe Kearney they caught the 15 and recovered the ball, the forwards took it on for a drive and then slick handling from the backs saw Tom Etheridge out pace the cover on the outside for his 1st try for Tadley. Kinsella was unable to convert.
In what was becoming a pulsating match, Newbury struck back when their pacy centre broke the line for an unconverted try.
Brandon Seal took a bang to the ribs which bought Smith back on and he went to prop, Struan Collington coming onto the wing. Newbury used their resources well to bring on fresh legs, the Tigers were down to the bare bones of a team. Now it would take a Herculean effort from the side which they duly delivered; great tactical kicking from 10 Tom Kinsella and good chasing and harrying from everyone but especially flankers Sam Dale and Dom Alwood & Ed Fry which had been a feature all match, forced errors and with the scrum now more secure Tadley attacked and were deep in the Newbury half, a releaving kick went to full back Jake Barker and he countered finding Pat Kelly who showed some great footwork to get through and score the crucial 4th try.
With 7 minutes to go and a 14 point lead Tadley just had to hold on for the win, it wasn’t easy as Newbury threw everything at the visitors. They scored in the last play of the match but Tadley had held on for a great win.
Tiger of the match- The Team
The Tigers- Charlie Johnson, Struan Collington, Tom Etheridge, Harry Williams, Pat Kelly, Jake Barker, Tom Kinsella, Ed Fry, Aaron Williams, Brandon Seal, William Molton, Jamie Lyons, Joe Kearney, Dom Alwood, Sam Dale, Matt Smith
