Starting the season where they left off

Report by Tony Kilos

Guildford u14 I's 7 Bracknell u14's I's 29

The first team started off this match where they left off last season with a try in the first few minutes after just missing a score earlier due to a high tackle on the line that might have been rewarded with a penalty try. A quick tap penalty by captain Greg Brown was sent down the line to winger Keiran O'Leary, showing all his customary pace to score in the corner. At this point it seemed Bracknell would score at will but Guildford regrouped to score an unconverted try after 20 minutes.
Bracknell were doing well in the line-outs, if not always winning at least managing to disrupt the Guildford throws. On the other hand the Guildford pack had the edge in the scrums and mauls, the visitors being without their first choice 2nd row. However, on one occasion a turnover in Bracknell's favour released Josh Blosse down the wing and with enough pace to out strip the Guildford players he ran round under the posts to score HT 7-12 to Bracknell.

Five minutes into the second half, the third try was a classic score with Greg Simmonds passing out to O'Leary from the back of a ruck, the try scored in the corner.

Guildford should have scored soon after when a pass was intercepted within a couple of metres of the try line, but good tackling and over eagerness from Guildford prevented what appeared to be the inevitable score. The ball was cleared up-field by a huge kick from Blosse, and his resulting chase and tackle led to a classic piece of ‘burglary’ by Declan Ellis, the no 8 first on hand to touch down. Luke Griffiths was unlucky to see his conversion hit the post.

The final score was again by Ellis, directly from a lineout, converted from out wide in fine style by Griffiths whose kicking improved as the match went on. This was a good run out for both teams in their first matches of the season. Although there are areas for improvement, on the evidence of these matches this will surely happen as the season progresses.

Squad list for both teams: Will Avery, Josh Blosse, Greg Brown, Jack Collett, Nathan Crow, Grant Culcough, Declan Ellis, Alex Ferguson, George Gibson, Alex Grazier, Lawrence Grazier, Liam Grealis, Luke Griffiths, Jack Henry, Josh Hulbert, Niall Johnson, Will Johnson, Archie Luckhurst, Harvey Marshall, Kieran O’Leary, Joe Price, Tapan Rai, Justin Riddell, Greg Simmonds, Ollie Smith, George Summersgill, Ben Viney, Tom Wright.