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U18's - Report
Date: Saturday 11th August 2012 - Kick Off: 12:30
Grand Final - Midlands Rugby League U18
| Gloucester All Golds | 38 | vs | 42 | Leicester Storm U18 |
Leicester Storm U18s Midlands Premier Champions
What a day for Leicester Storm Rugby League Club as the U18s team clinched the 3vSport.com Midlands U18s Premier League Grand Final; with a dramatic try four minutes from time. Blake Turner was the hero as the Leicester Storm winger, pounced on a knock back from hooker Callum Dacey, after half back Mark Etherington hoofed the ball high on the 5th tackle. Head Coach, Mark Smith, said after the game:
“I’m delighted for the lads. They worked hard all season and todays result is true reflection of all their efforts put in. I expect a number of them to progress in to the Academy side next season and really push for a 1st team jersey. I would like to thank all the parents to travelled across the midlands this season, I know its hard work but without their dedication games wouldn’t of happened.”
The away side travelled 2 and half hours to the Gloucestershire Academy team, who have recently affiliated themselves with Championship 1 club Gloucester All Golds, and the Leicester based club certainly started the brighter. U18s captain and Scotland Students International, Dan Hay, offload close to the All Golds line, after superb work from James Squires and Lewis Flack marched them 40 meters up field. This gave dummy half, Callum Dacey, plenty of space to dance his way through 4 tackles and touch down under the posts for the first of his three tries after eight minutes. Mark Etherington added the easy goal and he was on target again after Jordan Connell blasted through the middle of the Gloucester defence and ran 80 meters untouch to score straight from the restart; Flack taking the initial hit up and making several yards before the most senior player in the squad ran the rest of the way.
The All Golds pulled a score back soon afterwards as some lax defending for Storm, and on the back of 3 consecutive penalties, allowed Joel James threw a dummy and Carlo Colucci was on hand to take the scoring pass. James added the goal. But the home side could not capitalise on that score as huge hit from man of the match, Connell, forced the ball loose and ample frame of James “Cheeseburger” Squires recovered the ball. Storm stuck the attacking basics well, going through the forwards as Connor Mitchell and James Squires made the hard yards. Then Dacey skipped through from dummy half, from 10 yards out to score, Etherington was once again on target with the extras.
The All Golds seemed to be struggling and the Storm were soon in again as Connor O’Leary crossed out wide for his first try of the day; the away side were piling on the pressure on the right side as Sandy Addison made big yards on a superb red crash line. Then Josh Palmer, who was now on at hooker, swung the ball left to Tom Knott, and the ball went through the hands and O’Leary touched down in the corner; Etherington hitting the post from the touchline. To the home side’s credit, trailing 22-6 with 26 minutes on the clock The All Golds rallied. The homes powerhouse, Matt Byers, did well to stretch over by the posts to score a try converted by James; before Sam Coles went over from close range after the Storm had backs dropped another high kick from James, on the stroke of half-time. Head Coach, Marko had to really drive home that Storm had dominated the game for half an hour then let slip two very sloppy tries in the final 10 minute, and the All Golds were very much in the game.
Into the second half and the home side certainly came out the strong; within four minutes the All Golds were level as Syd Haskayne forced his way over from close range. Ollie Locke missed the goal but it didn’t seem to matter as the All Golds were ahead almost immediately this time Hayden Wilkinson went over for a try converted by Colucci. The home sides forward, and certainly their man of the match, Conrad Jones, ran through four poor tackles from Leicester Storm and it was Jones’ momentum and enthusiasm that lifted his side.
This score prompted head coach, Marko, to lead a verbal battering on his side, questioning their desire to win the game and the league! To which The Storm youngsters responded in glittering fashion; hitting back straight away as the All Golds failed to deal with the a crafty short restart from Etherington, which centre Josh Chomik gathered at full speed and nearly went all the way. But the dummy half Dacey completed his treble again showing superb footwork to weave between defenders and score. Etherington’s conversion tied things up once more.
There was no further scoring for nearly 20 minutes but the home side certainly dominated proceedings on the back of a string of penalties, one of which was kicked by James to end the barage of attacks and inch the All Golds ahead. The away side were encouraged that they restricted their opponents to two points in the 20 minute spell of domination and in the final fifteen minutes, the lead changed hands three times as the sides fought for the title.
In another showing of attacking prowess, Storm kept their opponents guessing as Connell and Etherington at half backs, went through a great attacking set and O’Leary ran great white line and crossed over in the corner but Tom Knott missed the difficult conversion to edge the Storm in front. But a defensive howler saw Jack Vernon dive on a loose ball in the in-goal after a James bomb was dropped.
With four minutes to play, Storm really press for the silverware, and mistake from a scrum gave the Storm possession and O’Leary charged over under the posts, Etherington’s conversion giving them a four point cushion which became eight when Blake Turner won the game. On the 5th tackle and 30 meters out Etherington put a high kick into the corner, which Dacey challenged two All Golds players and touched back and Turner spun on a six-pence and collected ball, and then turned back round a dived in the corner the All Golds line to score what proved to be the clincher.
STORM: Callum Dacey, Blake Turner, Josh Chomick, Ash Salmon, Jordan Connell, Tom Knott, Mark Etherington, Lewis Flack, Josh Palmer, James Squires, Dan Hay (Capt.), Sandy Addison, Connor O’Leary. Replacements: Rob Dixon, Connor Mitchell, Ben Ward, Jack Elliott, Alex Sanderson.
Scorers: Tries; Callum Dacey (8, 15, 50), Jordan Connell (10), Connor O’Leary (26, 65, 74), Blake Turner (76), Goals; Mark Etherington 5 from 7, Tom Knott 0 from 1.
“I’m delighted for the lads. They worked hard all season and todays result is true reflection of all their efforts put in. I expect a number of them to progress in to the Academy side next season and really push for a 1st team jersey. I would like to thank all the parents to travelled across the midlands this season, I know its hard work but without their dedication games wouldn’t of happened.”
The away side travelled 2 and half hours to the Gloucestershire Academy team, who have recently affiliated themselves with Championship 1 club Gloucester All Golds, and the Leicester based club certainly started the brighter. U18s captain and Scotland Students International, Dan Hay, offload close to the All Golds line, after superb work from James Squires and Lewis Flack marched them 40 meters up field. This gave dummy half, Callum Dacey, plenty of space to dance his way through 4 tackles and touch down under the posts for the first of his three tries after eight minutes. Mark Etherington added the easy goal and he was on target again after Jordan Connell blasted through the middle of the Gloucester defence and ran 80 meters untouch to score straight from the restart; Flack taking the initial hit up and making several yards before the most senior player in the squad ran the rest of the way.
The All Golds pulled a score back soon afterwards as some lax defending for Storm, and on the back of 3 consecutive penalties, allowed Joel James threw a dummy and Carlo Colucci was on hand to take the scoring pass. James added the goal. But the home side could not capitalise on that score as huge hit from man of the match, Connell, forced the ball loose and ample frame of James “Cheeseburger” Squires recovered the ball. Storm stuck the attacking basics well, going through the forwards as Connor Mitchell and James Squires made the hard yards. Then Dacey skipped through from dummy half, from 10 yards out to score, Etherington was once again on target with the extras.
The All Golds seemed to be struggling and the Storm were soon in again as Connor O’Leary crossed out wide for his first try of the day; the away side were piling on the pressure on the right side as Sandy Addison made big yards on a superb red crash line. Then Josh Palmer, who was now on at hooker, swung the ball left to Tom Knott, and the ball went through the hands and O’Leary touched down in the corner; Etherington hitting the post from the touchline. To the home side’s credit, trailing 22-6 with 26 minutes on the clock The All Golds rallied. The homes powerhouse, Matt Byers, did well to stretch over by the posts to score a try converted by James; before Sam Coles went over from close range after the Storm had backs dropped another high kick from James, on the stroke of half-time. Head Coach, Marko had to really drive home that Storm had dominated the game for half an hour then let slip two very sloppy tries in the final 10 minute, and the All Golds were very much in the game.
Into the second half and the home side certainly came out the strong; within four minutes the All Golds were level as Syd Haskayne forced his way over from close range. Ollie Locke missed the goal but it didn’t seem to matter as the All Golds were ahead almost immediately this time Hayden Wilkinson went over for a try converted by Colucci. The home sides forward, and certainly their man of the match, Conrad Jones, ran through four poor tackles from Leicester Storm and it was Jones’ momentum and enthusiasm that lifted his side.
This score prompted head coach, Marko, to lead a verbal battering on his side, questioning their desire to win the game and the league! To which The Storm youngsters responded in glittering fashion; hitting back straight away as the All Golds failed to deal with the a crafty short restart from Etherington, which centre Josh Chomik gathered at full speed and nearly went all the way. But the dummy half Dacey completed his treble again showing superb footwork to weave between defenders and score. Etherington’s conversion tied things up once more.
There was no further scoring for nearly 20 minutes but the home side certainly dominated proceedings on the back of a string of penalties, one of which was kicked by James to end the barage of attacks and inch the All Golds ahead. The away side were encouraged that they restricted their opponents to two points in the 20 minute spell of domination and in the final fifteen minutes, the lead changed hands three times as the sides fought for the title.
In another showing of attacking prowess, Storm kept their opponents guessing as Connell and Etherington at half backs, went through a great attacking set and O’Leary ran great white line and crossed over in the corner but Tom Knott missed the difficult conversion to edge the Storm in front. But a defensive howler saw Jack Vernon dive on a loose ball in the in-goal after a James bomb was dropped.
With four minutes to play, Storm really press for the silverware, and mistake from a scrum gave the Storm possession and O’Leary charged over under the posts, Etherington’s conversion giving them a four point cushion which became eight when Blake Turner won the game. On the 5th tackle and 30 meters out Etherington put a high kick into the corner, which Dacey challenged two All Golds players and touched back and Turner spun on a six-pence and collected ball, and then turned back round a dived in the corner the All Golds line to score what proved to be the clincher.
STORM: Callum Dacey, Blake Turner, Josh Chomick, Ash Salmon, Jordan Connell, Tom Knott, Mark Etherington, Lewis Flack, Josh Palmer, James Squires, Dan Hay (Capt.), Sandy Addison, Connor O’Leary. Replacements: Rob Dixon, Connor Mitchell, Ben Ward, Jack Elliott, Alex Sanderson.
Scorers: Tries; Callum Dacey (8, 15, 50), Jordan Connell (10), Connor O’Leary (26, 65, 74), Blake Turner (76), Goals; Mark Etherington 5 from 7, Tom Knott 0 from 1.
Player Of The Match
Jordan Connell
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