Andover RFC - Youth Academy
News from the Under 14s
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Sunday, 27th November 2011
Andover U14s v Newbury – Friendly – Sunday 27 November 2011
With a squad depleted by injury and illness to only 17 players the Ken White Distribution sponsored U14s travelled to Newbury for a friendly. With the backs particularly badly hit, a reshuffled line-up saw centre Jamie King moving to fly-half, flanker Nick Cannon playing in the centre and second row Greg Davis spending much of the game on the wing. Conditions were dry and sunny with an excellent playing surface, but with a fierce wind blowing the length of the pitch.
Andover kicked off into the wind and a great chase by Luke Wilkins had Newbury under pressure. They managed to move it wide, but the move was shut down by a good tackle from Nick Cannon and Andover were awarded a penalty on the Newbury 22. A drive by Kieran Holmes made ground, but Andover were penalised at the breakdown. Surprisingly, Newbury chose not to kick with the wind but to run it; however, they paid for their adventure when pressure from the Andover backs caused them to drop the ball. Ben Fraser and Nick Cannon were in quickly to recycle the ball and Sam Walsh drove for the line but was stopped short. Andover again recycled the ball quickly and it was moved swiftly along the line for fullback Josh Chatee to cross over midway to the touchline. Kieran Holmes took on the kicking duties and thumped over a difficult kick into the wind to add the extras. A great start by Andover with aggressive defence, good recycling and swift handling all contributing to a fine try to give them a 7-0 lead.
Unfortunately, Andover let Newbury back into the game by knocking-on the restart and giving the home side a scrum just inside the Andover 10 metre line. With Newbury enjoying a significant weight advantage the Andover back row were committed to the scrum and a blindside break by the home number 8 had plenty of space to operate in. A missed tackle allowed him to run in for the try which was then converted to even the scores at 7-7. A soft try which showed Andover that they couldn’t relax if they were going to win the game.
George Compton was in quickly from the restart and, while Newbury managed to recycle the ball, their move was shut down by George Compton and Nick Cannon. Andover were penalised at the breakdown and Newbury gave their biggest forward a run. He was stopped in his tracks by Charlie Donnelly and then driven 10 metres backwards at a rate of knots by the Andover pack in a huge statement of intent. The home team were then penalised for holding on at the subsequent ruck. Andover ran the penalty into the wind with Josh Chatee making the initial break and Sam Walsh then taking it on with a powerful run before offloading to put Charlie Donnelly over. However, the Andover celebrations were short lived as the final pass was judged forward.
Newbury used the wind to kick long, but Josh Chatee was back quickly to collect and make a blistering 50 metre run up the touchline. George Compton took it on into the Newbury 22, but Andover were penalised at the breakdown. Another long kick by Newbury didn’t find touch and was run back by Jamie King for an eventual scrum on halfway. Neither side were able to string any phases together, with numerous penalties breaking up the flow of the game. A Newbury blindside break was closed out by Sam Walsh and Luke Wilkins, while Jared Rolfe did well to clean up loose ball at a defensive lineout.
A lovely sniping blindside break from a scrum on the Andover 10 metre line by Ollie Newcombe opened up the Newbury defence and Greg Davis was well up in support to carry it on. Dylan Patel then made ground and Kieran Holmes drove hard from another penalty. Jamie King broke blind from the breakdown and Greg Davis almost got over the line, but Andover were penalised for holding on. Newbury again failed to find touch and Josh Chatee put in a mazy run to 10 metres from the home team’s line. James Marlow was in quickly at the breakdown and Andover were awarded a penalty. The ball was spun swiftly along the line and Kieran Holmes popped up in the backs to cross over for Andover’s second try. Another super kick by Kieran added the extras and Andover deservedly back in the lead at 14-7.
Andover crabbed across field from the restart but Charlie Donnelly then made a strong run to take play up to the Newbury 22. Newbury managed a turnover and broke the first line of defence but a super tackle by Josh Chatee forced an Andover lineout just outside their own 22. A nicely worked short lineout from Dylan Patel to George Compton running round at the front made ground to near halfway, but was then forced into touch on halftime. Andover well worth their 14-7 lead against a hefty side and playing into a very strong wind which Newbury failed to make the best use of.
From the restart George Compton made a superb run straight up the middle of the pitch weaving through the Newbury defence to take him to 10 metres from the try line. A good offload to Kieran Holmes, well up in support, saw him drive over. However, the try was disallowed for a clenched fist handoff and Andover were denied what would have been an excellent try. Andover were then temporarily reduced to 14 men when a second handoff was deemed illegal. Andover weathered the opening phase of this challenge with a good run by Charlie Donnelly and strong defence by Ben Fraser, Nick Cannon and Josh Chatee. However, Newbury pressure eventually told. From a scrum 10 metres out the ball squirted out of the side of the scrum wrong footing the Andover defence and allowing Newbury to go over under the posts. The kick was missed leaving Andover nursing a slender 14-12 lead.
Jamie King used the wind well to put in a long restart which, surprisingly, was carried over by Newbury, under no real pressure, to give an Andover 5 metre scrum. Kieran Holmes and Greg Davis both went close but the home side managed hold them out and gain a scrum. A loose Newbury kick from the scrum returned possession to Andover who then gained a penalty for a high tackle. Andover went close with a forward drive from 20 metres and from a second penalty Kieran Holmes drove over, but couldn’t quite manage the conversion. Andover now one converted try clear at 19-12, but still anybody’s game.
From the restart Newbury forced a lineout on the Andover 22 but their drive was stopped by good defence by Luke Wilkins, George Shrapnel and Greg Davis who held the ball carrier up for an Andover scrum. Newbury’s bulk in the forwards was starting to tell but good technique from the front row of George Shrapnel, Dylan Patel and Jared Rolfe enabled Andover to win some critical scrums. A powerful rip from a maul by Adam Lockington saw Andover gain possession, but Newbury kept the pressure on. A blindside move looked dangerous but was stopped by a forward pass. Andover took the crucial scrum but couldn’t clear the ball and Newbury gained another scrum 10 metres out. Andover’s scrambled defence kept the initial couple of thrusts out, but a missed tackle let Newbury in for their third try. However, the conversion was missed and Andover were still holding on to a 19 -17 lead.
Newbury tried to run the restart back but were stopped by good Andover defence on halfway. Swift ball from Will Scobie enabled a blindside break by Josh Chatee to make ground, but a knock-on gave possession back to the home team via a scrum just inside their 10 metre line. A dogleg Andover defence then gave Newbury space to move and a great run along the touchline looked to have put them in for the winning score. However, fullback Josh Chatee used his pace to get across and bundle the player into touch 15 metres out for a super try saving tackle on the final whistle.
A roller-coaster game that could have gone either way, but Andover deserving their win particularly given their reshuffled side. They fronted up to a much bigger side in difficult conditions and, while there were a couple of lapses in defence, this was an excellent win and a great all-round performance.
Result: Andover 19 – Newbury 17
Andover Scorers:
Tries: Kieran Holmes (2), Josh Chatee,
Conversions: Kieran Holmes (2)
Andover Man of the Match: Shared by George Compton, for a barnstorming display of hard graft and strong ball carrying, and Charlie Donnelly for excellent defence and some powerful running.
The Andover Squad: Nick Cannon, Josh Chatee, George Compton, Greg Davis, Charlie Donnelly, Ben Fraser, Kieran Holmes, Jamie King, Adam Lockington, James Marlow, Ollie Newcombe, Dylan Patel, Jared Rolfe, Will Scobie, George Shrapnel, Sam Walsh, Luke Wilkins.
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